Revenge Shall Be Mine
by mol10
Summary: Jerrick Thurmond Brandt was only 12 when he learnt that his father was hunted to death and was shipped to another island for his safety. Since that day, he has sworn revenge against those who took away his normal life. Now at the age of 14, when a person comes to him with information about his father's killer, Jerrick has the chance to exact his much desired revenge. (Post RTTE)
1. Prologue

**A/N: **This story takes place between RTTE and HTTYD 2. Be warned, the main character in the story is Jerrick, not Hiccup and the dragon riders. As such, Hiccup doesn't appear until Chapter 4, simply because he isn't needed until then. The story has been largely pre-written, just a few more chapters to finish which I will definitely finish as I slowly upload this story. I will upload** every weekend, **bar some misfortune falling on me.

Also, if you want to enjoy this story even more, have an open mind. Be willing to accept a different perspective on certain characters that you may know very well already. I did my best to ensure all characters do not go OOC, but nevertheless, have an open mind. I can promise you the story will be more enjoyable to read.

With that, enjoy!

* * *

**Prologue**

"No! No! No! Don't do this!" The man pleaded, his usually strong voice cracking as he spoke. He stretched his hands through the bars and grasped uselessly at the air, as though trying to grab a key out of thin air.

"Oh? And why shouldn't I do this? Tell me, what have you done?" Harsh brown eyes pierced straight into his soul. "No, don't answer that. I'll tell you the answer. It's nothing." His accented voice laced with icy coldness seemed to tear away at his very being.

"Give me another chance. I swear I won't fail again!" The man continued his pleas.

The brown-eyed man merely scoffed. "That was what you said last time, don't you remember?" He raised his hands dismissively and turned his back on the frightened man in the barred cave. "I'm done talking to you. Release the dragons." The tone of his voice was so unusually calm, as though he was merely ordering a drink at the tavern.

But this time, he was ordering an execution.

Suddenly, loud roars and scuttling of clawed feet could be heard from behind. His eyes widened at the sound and his heart rate increased tenfold. He slowly turned around slowly to face the music. The music that sang of his rapid descent to death. Highway to Hell. Wouldn't that make a good name for a song? The sounds of wild dragons became louder and louder. He forced himself to stay calm. Maybe there was a way out of this. If he wanted to find it though, he had to stay calm. Suddenly, he felt a prick in his arm. He cried out and raised his arm up to look at the damage.

But to his horror, he couldn't raise his arm. No matter how hard he tried to, it wouldn't budge. Horror washed over his face as he heard feet scuttle right past him. Heart racing, he raised his other arm defensively. If he was going down, he wasn't going down without a fight. Those blasted dragons would have to fight like their lives depended on it. Besides, the dragons never made it easy when the roles were reversed, so why should he? The irony of the whole situation made him release a small chuckle.

Claws scraping on the stone floor behind him. The man whirled around just in time to see a Speed Stinger rush at him, tail poised and ready. The stinger came down. His fist went up. The dragon howled and fled as his tail was ruthlessly punched away.

But he didn't notice the other Speed Stinger behind him. Before he could do anything else, a stinger sank into his only functional arm. He cried out again. His other arm was limp. He was defenceless.

Everything happened very quickly after that. Stingers descended from all around him, puncturing his skin everywhere. It was almost as if the dragons knew he was helpless. His back burnt and his chest felt like it was exploding. Totally paralysed from the neck down, he fell like a brick to the ground. Pain coursed through his head as it struck the rocky floor. He let out a grunt, knowing that was probably his last time exhaling. This was it. His life was over.

That was how he found himself completely helpless as a blue Nadder prepared a deadly shot of fire in her mouth.

XX

Tears leaked from his eyes. Mucus leaked from his nostrils. He collapsed to his knees. With trembling hands, he reached forward and gently touched the face that had always accompanied him for the last twelve years of his life. The face that had smiled at him when he first picked up a sword. The face that had broken into delightful laughter when he announced that he was joining the academy. The face that had scowled when he broke a table while practicing. He despised that scowl then, but he would do anything now to see that scowl again. Instead, the only thing that was on the ever so expressive face besides an impressive beard was an eerie stillness. A stillness that he could not comprehend. But a stillness that told him that life as he knew it was going to change. Hagen Brandt was dead.

To any random person, this might not mean much. Hagen Brandt was nothing more than another soldier serving the tribe. He didn't hold a particularly high rank; he was merely a corporal, nothing more than a man under the command of higher ranked personnel. He didn't have many friends, and his wife had died during childbirth. Both his parents had passed on at early ages due to illnesses too. Truth be told, there weren't many people who would mourn him.

But there was one. It was the young boy kneeling by his side, spilling tears till his tear ducts dried up and wailing sorrowful cries to the heavens. He was Jerrick Thurmond Brandt, the only son of Hagen Brandt. Jerrick was twelve, and he had a lean body. He didn't have the stature of a typical Viking, but he had lean muscles. He was athletic and agile too. His blonde hair was neatly trimmed, and a medium length fringe stood above his forehead. His black eyes usually shone with joy and confidence, but this time they were laced with sorrow and despair.

Respectfully, the soldiers carrying him had placed a piece of fabric over Hagen's body, leaving just his face exposed. They told him that dragons had killed him, and the wounds wouldn't be pleasant to see. But Jerrick just had to know. He had to see it for himself. Gingerly, he pulled the fabric down a little. When he saw the wounds, he inhaled sharply. His father's strong trunk-like arms had many small holes in them, and large singe marks covered the entirety of his chest. That was all he saw before he hastily replaced the fabric. He couldn't continue. He didn't want to see anymore. It might make him forget just how powerful his father was.

"He was a great man," a sympathetic voice said behind him. Jerrick turned around to face the source of the voice. A tall and well-built man stood before him. He was Lieutenant Jorgund, one of the officers in the army.

Jerrick turned back around. He held back his tears as the soldiers carried the body of his father to the funeral ship. "How did he die?" Jerrick choked out amidst his tears. Although his father wasn't high up in the ranks, he knew his father was one of the most reliable men around.

Lieutenant Jorgund shrugged his shoulders. His eyes drifted from side to side shiftily, as if he was searching for something. It took him a few seconds to realise that Jerrick was still waiting for an answer. He cleared his throat. "Dragons got to him." Jerrick sighed.

"Listen, kid," Lieutenant Jorgund suddenly said with a much more controlled voice. The sudden change shocked Jerrick. "I'm not supposed to say this for specific reasons. But I believe that your father was hunted by people who used dragons to attack."

Jerrick looked at Lieutenant Jorgund with wide eyes. "Why would anyone hunt my father?"

He pursed his lips together and looked up at the sky. "I don't know," he admitted. There was a tense silence. Eventually, it was Lieutenant Jorgund who broke it, just as Jerrick had hoped. But what he said was the complete opposite.

"Look, kid, the only reason I told you this is because we're taking you to another island for your safety," Lieutenant Jorgund said quickly. Before Jerrick could say a word, he continued. "If people are hunting for your father, it will only be a matter of time before they come for you. I know a few people in the tribe of Breca. It's quite a distance away. You'll be safe there."

"But I can fight," Jerrick protested. "I've been in the academy for five years. Doesn't that mean something?"

"You're twelve," Lieutenant Jorgund said. "These people have way more experience than you. Maybe in a few years you can hold your own, but for now, you can't."

Jerrick was trembling. Whether it was from anger or from sorrow he didn't know. Maybe it was both. He just found out that his father died, and now he's being shipped to another island? He wanted to keep protesting, but the hard set look in Lieutenant Jorgund's eyes told him that the matter had been decided. He didn't have a say in it. How could he? He was twelve. Lieutenant Jorgund couldn't look at him for too long, for whatever reason. He kept averting his gaze. Was he ashamed of something? Jerrick wouldn't know. He was twelve.

The rest of the day passed by in a blur. He packed his bags as his father's funeral ship was prepared. He shot the flaming arrow that lit the ship alight, and before the last flames had sunk into the water, he was already on a ship to the tribe of Breca. There were a few soldiers accompanying the orphaned boy towards the tribe, but he didn't care about them. He wanted a few moments in this hectic day to process what had just happened.

His father died. He was told it was due to dragons. Then he was told that people hunted down his father and killed him. Using dragons? How did they use dragons to kill his father? Regardless, he was shipped off to a faraway tribe for his safety. And he didn't have a say in any of this. He was twelve, after all. Too young to do anything. Too young to be told anything. Not even the slightest thing that might make him understand. That was the worst part.

Suddenly, a huge wave of anger washed over him. The anger was uncontrollable, like lava spewing out of a volcano. Blood rushed to his head and his heart pounded. He gripped the railings of the ship until his knuckles turned white. Rearing back his head, he threw it forward and let out a guttural scream that pierced the silence of the night. A few soldiers glanced at him, but they didn't dare approach him. He yelled and yelled into the night sky, directing his anger at the darkness. Birds and fishes fled from the raging boy too.

Eventually, his voice faded, only to be replaced by an airy exhalation and whines. He lost his voice. Sweat clung to his hair, causing his blonde fringe to cling to his forehead.

"When I'm older," he muttered to himself. A snarl appeared on his young face, and he clenched his hands even tighter. The wood felt like it was cracking underneath his hands. He gritted his teeth together. "When I'm older, they will pay." His voice was laced with an icy coldness. If anyone had heard him, his voice would send shivers down their spine. "You will pay. I will find you, and I will finish you. Mark my words."

* * *

**Update 150220:** Fixed a minor continuity error.


	2. Chapter 1: An Encounter

**Chapter 1: An Encounter**

One more swing was all he needed. Just one more, and maybe he would've won. But alas, that one elusive swing evaded him. He was just a little too slow. Her slightly rounded cheeks moved to reveal a dimple as a triumphant smile appeared on the face of his competitor. She smiled smugly at him, her bright green eyes shining with pride as she looked at him, and he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed at himself, even though he knew he wouldn't win. She was just too good at this.

Why did he even try to beat Kari Iona Tordis at a cooking competition?

Kari still kept looking at Jerrick with that annoying gloating look on her face. Her soft green eyes spoke of her pride, but he knew that she was mocking him silently behind those eyes. The wide smile on her face dropped a little when she saw him drop his gaze and look longingly at the table.

"I won again, Jerrick," Kari said.

"Yeah, you did," Jerrick replied half-heartedly.

"Like I said I would."

"Like you said you would."

With one hand, Kari pushed the long brown hair covering her eyes out of the way as she walked over to him. "Why did you even suggest this competition? You know I make yak stew the fastest," Kari asked with a smirk on her face.

"Speed over quality, I see," Jerrick replied, casting an equally teasing smirk back at her.

Kari giggled. "It tastes good, I'm sure of it!" She dug her knuckles into Jerrick's ribs, and he moved backwards laughing.

"Let's ask Corey to taste it," Jerrick suggested while pushing her hands back.

"Alright, Corey, you're up." Kari said. Corey Ingerson moved from his seat towards the table where both yak stews were placed. Corey was slightly overweight, but he made up for it by being the tallest amongst their group. Although he was fourteen, the same age as Jerrick and Kari, when he stood up straight, he stood a whole head above Jerrick, who was already the second tallest. Jerrick was just hoping that his growth spurt will come soon and he would be able to grow taller than him. Corey smelt Jerrick's stew first. An approving look appeared on his boyish face. He moved his unruly black fringe out of his brown eyes before continuing to smell the stew. When he had smelt what seemed like the entire bowl of stew into his lungs, he finally picked up a spoon and took a taste of it. A hum of excitement resonated from his throat. His chubby cheek seemed to work doubly hard every time he took a bite. The light freckles on his face darted around his cheek every time he chewed. He took a few more bites before setting the spoon down.

"Jerrick, yours is pretty good, but the flavour needs to be more evenly distributed," he concluded.

"I told you I needed one more swing of the spoon!" Jerrick exclaimed to Kari.

"Time was up, cheater," Kari retorted. "Besides, who calls it a swing of the spoon? You stir the stew."

"My father called it that," Jerrick said. "Don't ask me where he got it from."

"Maybe he got that from the army," Kari said. A dark look washed over Jerrick's face. His smile dropped and his black eyes hardened. He pursed his lips briefly before taking a soft breath. Kari noticed this immediately. "I'm sorry, Jerrick, I didn't mean it, I just-I just-"

"No, don't worry about it," Jerrick said sarcastically. "Way to remind me about the one thing I was trying not to remember this day. It was exactly two years ago today that I came here, and I've been spending the whole day trying not to remember this, but here you go."

"I'm sorry," Kari said, her eyes searching the ground for a hole to swallow her up.

"Jerrick, it's okay, she didn't mean any harm," Corey offered. He placed a hand on Jerrick's shoulder. Jerrick stood silent for a moment before sighing loudly. He turned back to face Kari, who still had her eyes trained on the ground.

"I'm sorry Kari," he said at last. "I shouldn't have snapped at you so quickly. It's just-"

"It's okay Jerrick," she interrupted. "You have every right to be angry at me. I wasn't thinking." She walked over to him and held his hand. He looked up into her green eyes. "I'm sorry I said that."

"It's okay," Jerrick said, but this time he meant it. Kari seemed to understand that. She smiled warmly at him.

"Want to go to the Northern Markets?*****" Kari offered. "Looking at stuff to buy always seems to get you in a good mood. I never understand how you can look at things, not buy anything, and be perfectly happy after that."

"Sure," Jerrick said. "I can always bore you to death by over analysing every little thing they sell there."

"If it makes you happy," Kari said while rolling her eyes. Jerrick jabbed a finger into her ribs, and she burst out laughing. She jabbed one right back into his ribs, and before long the two of them were tusling on the wooden floor of the hut.

"When you two lovebirds have stopped doing whatever it is you're doing, could you come and clean up first? I didn't even cook and I'm doing the cleaning here," Corey called from the table. A blush appeared on both their faces.

"You're eating the stew, if that counts for anything," Jerrick retorted.

"Since when did Jerrick Thurmond Brandt ever say 'if it counts for anything'?" Corey teased. "Where's his typical egoistic confidence, unless… he's in-"

"Shut it, freckle face," Jerrick hissed. A smirk appeared on Corey's face as he turned around to glance at Jerrick. Jerrick glanced behind him at Kari. Thankfully, she was busy dusting herself off, and she didn't appear to have caught what they were saying. Jerrick cast a dirty look to Corey as he walked towards him. He began to clean up the mess with him.

"We all know you like her Jerrick," Corey said softly. "It's obvious."

"Shut up," Jerrick said again. He felt heat spread into his cheeks once again.

"You're blushing again."

"I said, shut up."

"I never said anything." Jerrick spun to his left. Kari was standing there with a puzzled look on her face.

"I was talking to Corey," Jerrick said.

"Wonder what Corey said to deserve that," Kari said.

"Doesn't he deserve it most of the time?" Jerrick said as he felt Corey's hand hit him on his ear. Jerrick cast a smirk at Corey.

"May-" Kari was interrupted by the door slamming against the wall as it was opened.

"We're back!" A cheerful male voice proclaimed, before an equally cheerful female voice followed suit. They were the siblings Dustin and Helka Sorenson. Dustin was fifteen, a year older than the rest. He had a typical Viking body. Strong, bulky muscles on a large frame, with an axe slung over his back. His blond hair stood high above his head, his fringe never touching his forehead. But Dustin was still shorter than Jerrick, a fact that Jerrick liked to constantly reinstate in his mind. Dustin always argued that he was only less than a forehead shorter, but Jerrick would always say that being shorter meant exactly that. He was shorter. Helka was thirteen, a year younger than most of them. She was almost the same height as her brother, but she didn't have the same build. She was slender yet strong. Her long blond hair fell below her shoulders, but her fringe didn't cover her brown eyes - the same colour as her brother. In fact, both of them had the same sharp jawline, the same hair and eye colour, the same rounded nose, if someone saw their faces only, they could easily pass off as twins if one of them didn't have long hair.

"How was beating up young kids?" Jerrick asked.

"We didn't beat up young kids," Dustin said.

"Yeah," Helka added. "We just gave them a run for their money."

"I sure hope you actually trained them and taught them something instead of just fighting them the whole time," Corey muttered.

"Sure we did," Dustin said quickly. Jerrick studied Dustin's face, searching for any signs that he might be lying.

"I hope so," Jerrick said. "I remember when I was twelve and Mrs Svenson put us through a similar programme where an older warrior mentors a younger one for a week of training, all my mentor did was fight me every training session. He didn't even give any tips."

"Well, we did," Helka said. "Besides, this isn't exactly the same thing. This isn't a mentorship thing. We all take turns to teach one class for the younger kids."

"Anyone want to go to the Northern Markets today?" Dustin suddenly said. "I want to get a better axe. This one's getting a little too light for my liking."

"What's wrong with the ones in our armoury?" Corey asked.

Dustin shrugged. "The Northern Markets are better." The answer, and maybe the brief death glare that Dustin shot Corey, seemed to do the trick.

"We were actually planning to go there too," Kari added.

"Great, let's go!" Dustin said, before turning around and walking out of the door, as though they didn't have a say in it. Jerrick squeezed his eyes shut.

"Are you okay?" Kari asked.

"Yeah," Jerrick said. He let out a sigh and opened his eyes. "Don't worry." He smiled a little, and thankfully he saw Kari smile back.

"Let's go get ready."

XX

The cool wind against his face was refreshing. Jerrick took a deep breath. He smiled. Going to the markets was definitely a good idea. Not only were the items for sale good - they were almost always good, he didn't need to see them to know it, the two hour sail was doing wonders to his mood. They were approaching the bustling port of the island, where merchants and shop owners did a lot of trading and traders would try to get a quick trade from the approaching ships.

"Does a shining medallion interest you, sir?" A trader asked Jerrick as they drew up to the port. He glanced to his side. Kari and Dustin were busy securing the ship to the port. He turned back to the trader.

"Do you have any other designs?" He asked.

"Certainly!" The trader replied enthusiastically. He reached into his satchel and pulled out more medallions. The designs varied considerably. One had a flower on it, another had a crest made up of a shield and criss-crossing swords, another had a dragon on it. The dragon medallion looked quite nice, he thought. The dragon on it was a Nadder, and the level of detail was extremely good.

"How much is the Nadder?" Jerrick asked.

"Good choice sir, that'll be 10 silvers," the trader responded. Jerrick reached into his pocket and handed over the silver quickly. With a nod of his head, the trader thanked him for the purchase, and he went off to another ship. Jerrick quickly stowed the medallion in his pocket, and turned around to face the rest.

"What did you get?" Kari asked.

"Nothing," Jerrick answered quickly. A bit too quickly, he thought.

"Really?" Kari gave him a quizzical look.

"Yep, nothing at all," he said. Too quickly again, perhaps. "I was just telling a trader to go away. Dragon skin really isn't what we're looking for, right?" He looked at the others for confirmation. They nodded. Thankfully, Kari bought it and didn't pursue the matter any more.

They walked off their ship and onto the bustling port. Merchants shouted the names of their goods loudly as they walked along the port. Traders did likewise too, but they never left the safety of their ships. People walked around in groups, pointing at things that interested them, conversing with the merchants and traders, or just having a good time with their friends. They walked along the wooden port until they reached the mainland. The soft gravel crunched beneath their feet as they strolled along the path. Merchant stalls lined the path, and Jerrick couldn't tear his eyes away from the assortment of goods available for sale. He eyed a stall selling freshly forged weapons.

"Dustin, didn't you want a new weapon?" Jerrick asked while pointing to the stall.

"Huh?" Dustin seemed confused for a moment. His eyes followed Jerrick's finger, and it took a few seconds for him to realise what was happening. "Oh yeah, I did. Let's go check it out." For some reason, he didn't sound completely convinced that he wanted a weapon himself. Jerrick shrugged it off. They walked over to the stall. A small crowd had gathered during the short time they waited. The people in the crowd were all wearing similar uniforms. Jerrick realised that this wasn't a normal crowd. They were probably soldiers buying weapons for their teammates. As they drew nearer however, Jerrick realised that the soldiers weren't there to simply purchase weapons though.

"I'm not going to help you kill someone!" The merchant exclaimed.

"We're not asking you to kill someone," one of the soldiers replied, probably the leader. "We're just asking you to make a few… modifications to the weapon you're giving to him." Jerrick felt a certain uneasiness. That voice was familiar, but he couldn't particularly pinpoint who it belonged to.

"Those modifications would kill him!" The merchant protested again. "I won't do it."

"We weren't asking," the leader's voice darkened. Jerrick raised a hand. Their group stopped a distance away from the stall and hid in the shadows. "You work for us. Do it." Jerrick was even more confident that he recognised this voice too.

"I don't work for you!" The merchant protested back.

"What if we gave you double the amount?" The leader continued.

"I don't care! I will not be held responsible for someone's death!" With a wave of his hands, he shooed the soldiers away.

"Maybe you misunderstood," the leader's oh-so-familiar voice continued. Jerrick swore that his name was at the very tip of his tongue. "We weren't asking." The merchant's eyes dropped to the front of the leader's belt, and his eyes widened and his face paled. He must have wielded a knife or some sort of weapon. "Now, I will still be nice enough to give you double the amount we agreed on, but only if you start work on it immediately."

The merchant gulped. He steadied himself for a moment before answering. "I will not have someone's blood on my hands."

"Then your blood will be on my hands," the leader said. He moved forward, and that's when it struck Jerrick. The leader was…

"Lieutenant Jorgund!" Jerrick called from behind and walked towards the soldiers. What was he doing? Lieutenant Jorgund was probably about to kill the merchant, and here he was talking to him? He didn't even want to talk to the man. He came here to avoid thinking about… it, and here he was, going to talk to him. Well, he decided that he couldn't sit around and watch either. The soldiers spun around and fixed his eyes onto Jerrick. He narrowed his eyes and stared at Jerrick. "Don't you remember me?" He kept walking forward. Lieutenant Jorgund kept looking at Jerrick with narrowed eyes, probably trying to recall his name. Finally, he remembered.

"Jerrick! Yes, I do remember you," he replied. "And by the way, it's Captain Jorgund now."

"Congratulations," Jerrick said. He tried his best to hide his displeasure at meeting the man. Thankfully, Captain Jorgund didn't seem to notice it. "What brings you here?"

"I'm purchasing weapons for my men," he replied hastily. Extorting, more like it. Captain Jorgund's eyes darted from left to right shiftily. The merchant had vanished, much to Jerrick's relief.

"Are the weapons here good?" Jerrick asked. He sauntered over to the weapons on display. He pretended to inspect them, keeping an eye on Captain Jorgund the whole time.

"One of the best," Captain Jorgund replied. His head turned from left to right, and he whispered something to one of his men. Two men nodded, and they hurried around the side of the stall. Captain Jorgund turned back to face Jerrick. "He always makes good weapons," he added uselessly. Jerrick continued to inspect the weapons, or pretend to do so. Eventually, the two men came back and whispered something to Captain Jorgund. He scowled when he heard the news. Before he could talk to his men however, Jerrick interrupted.

"What makes these weapons good?" He chided himself for not thinking of anything good to say, but it managed to keep them distracted.

"They're… uhh…" Captain Jorgund struggled to find something believable to say for a moment. "Made to fit your fighting style perfectly. Excuse me for a moment." He turned to talk to his men. Jerrick fumbled for something to say, and a split second decision led him to regret what he said immediately.

"What modifications were needed then?" Jerrick watched as Captain Jorgund's face darkened, and he spun around to face Jerrick again.

"So you heard it all, huh," Captain Jorgund said dryly. Jerrick gulped. What was going to happen? "No point hiding it anymore, I guess. You men, go find the merchant." The two men nodded and took off quickly. "As for you, Jerrick, I don't know what to do."

"You could move out of the way and let me pass," Jerrick said while leaning against the weapons display, his fingers stealthily clasping the handle of a sword behind his back. He didn't know what Captain Jorgund wanted with him, but he definitely wasn't going down without a fight. Eventually, Captain Jorgund sighed. "Take him back to the tavern," he ordered the remaining men. The men unsheathed their weapons and began advancing on Jerrick. Jerrick assessed the situation quickly. There were four men - five including Captain Jorgund. They were in a circle around him.

"Ahh!" A loud battlecry suddenly rang out from behind the men who quickly spun around to face the source. Jerrick was relieved to see all his friends rushing towards the soldiers with their weapons raised. Captain Jorgund stood frozen for a moment, before he whipped out his axe and began to battle with Kari. Jerrick seized his opportunity. With the men facing the other way, he pulled out the sword from behind him and slammed the hilt on a soldier's head. The soldier crumpled and fell to the floor with a thud. Jerrick searched for his next victim, but all the other soldiers had already begun battles with his friends. He rushed over to Kari and helped her to fend off Captain Jorgund. He swung his sword at Captain Jorgund, and it struck him squarely on his armour. A loud metallic clang rang out, and Captain Jorgund stumbled backwards. He regained his composure quickly though, and just managed to parry Jerrick's next strike in time. Kari struck next, and it hit Captain Jorgund on his armour again. He stumbled back again, and Jerrick took this chance to advance. But he failed to react in time to Captain Jorgund's swinging leg. Jerrick felt the wind rush out of his lungs as a powerful kick knocked him to the floor. As he fell, pain suddenly burst through his head. His ears rang, and his vision began to darken. He didn't even feel the floor rushing to meet with the rest of his body.

The last thing he heard was Kari calling his name before he slumped into unconsciousness.

* * *

***: Northern Markets**: While the Northern Markets is portrayed as a somewhat evil place in the series, I would like to say otherwise. The Northern Markets is just a regular market, selling common items. In fact, there was an episode where Tuffnut bought chicken feed from the Northern Markets. The only reason it is portrayed quite negatively is because the riders are the exception among that community. Because of the sale of dragon-related products in the market, the riders shun the area and associate it with dragon hunters, and in turn, this causes the community in the market to dislike them as well. This is why they feel the need to disguise themselves in the market, not because it is an evil place, but rather because they have made themselves the outcasts in the market. As such, a trip to the Northern Markets for recreational purposes is fully plausible.


	3. Chapter 2: The Meeting

**Chapter 2: The Meeting**

Jerrick awoke slowly, head throbbing like a pulsating… what's something that pulsates? It hurt to think, that's all he knew. He tried to raise a hand to rub his aching head, but he soon realised that he couldn't. For some reason, his wrists and legs were bound to a chair.

"He's awake!" Jerrick turned to face his side. Dustin was beside him, and smiling encouragingly at him. He was bound to a chair as well.

"What happened?" Jerrick asked.

"You were knocked out," Dustin said. "Then they grabbed you and threatened to kill you if we didn't surrender."

"So we did," Kari said. Jerrick turned to face the other side. Kari was bound as well.

"You shouldn't have done that," Jerrick said. "I doubt they would've killed me."

"I didn't want to take chances," Kari said softly. Jerrick nodded.

"How long have we been here?" Jerrick asked. Kari shrugged.

"Maybe about two hours?" She guessed. Jerrick looked around the room they were trapped in. It looked like they were in a guest room in a tavern. There was a bed by the side of the room. A table stood by the other side of the room, and somehow there were exactly enough chairs to tie up the five of them.

The door to the room suddenly opened with a loud click. Captain Jorgund stood at the doorway, and he was ushering someone else in. The man behind him entered. He had a goatee on his chin, and a large, ugly scar across his long face. It began just under his left eye, and it stretched across his nose and ended by the right side of his mouth. Jerrick winced at the sight. The man didn't seem to notice. His brown eyes seemed to analyse the room quickly, and he moved towards them. The man waved a hand at Captain Jorgund, and Captain Jorgund in turn waved at someone along the corridor outside the room. A soldier came scuttling in with a chair. So that's where all the chairs came from. Scarface, as Jerrick had decided to call him, took the chair and sat down in front of them. He didn't say anything for a while, he simply looked at them, particularly Jerrick, with keen eyes. Jerrick squirmed in his seat.

"So, do you plan on talking within the next year?" Jerrick asked. Scarface chuckled.

"Quite the smart mouth, aren't you?"

"You've been staring at me for an eternity." Scarface leaned back in his seat and folded his arms.

"What brings you to the Northern Markets?" He asked.

"We came to have a good time," Jerrick said.

"Is that so?" Scarface pressed.

"Obviously not," Jerrick said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I totally lied to you. We came here to intervene in your business. Right from the start, that was our intention." It took Scarface a few moments to realise that Jerrick was being sarcastic.

"Well, whether you meant to or not, the truth of the matter is you did. You interfered with us. Why?"

"Why not?" Jerrick said. Scarface sighed.

"Excuse me for a moment." He rose from his seat and walked back out of the room. Captain Jorgund closed the door behind them.

"What are you doing Jerrick?" Corey hissed.

"Trying to get us out of trouble," Jerrick replied.

"By answering them like this?" Corey retorted. "Don't you think that'll just get us into more trouble?"

"He doesn't look very happy," Helka added.

"And with the way you're answering him he wouldn't be any happier," Corey said.

"Guys, we attacked them and stopped them from doing… whatever it is they were doing," Jerrick said. "They wouldn't let us go so easily. I don't think what we say would matter."

"You won't know until you try it," Kari said. "Maybe you should try and cooperate with them a little." Jerrick rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Fine," he said. "I'll just roll along with everything they say." The door reopened, causing them to stop talking. Scarface walked back in, and Captain Jorgund stood at the door again. He walked towards them and took his seat in front of them.

"We never found the merchant again, do you know that?" Scarface began. Jerrick was relieved to hear that, but he didn't show it. Scarface continued talking. "How much did you hear?"

Jerrick looked at the others, silently asking if telling the truth was the right thing to do. They nodded. "Not much," he finally said. "All I heard was that the merchant refused to make some modifications that would probably end up killing someone."

Scarface seemed to accept this answer. "Why did you intervene?"

"I saw the merchant become really fearful when he looked at Captain Jorgund's belt. I guessed he saw a knife or some sort of weapon. Then when Captain Jorgund began advancing on the merchant, I decided to step in. I didn't want him to hurt or kill the merchant." Jerrick glanced a look at Captain Jorgund. He wasn't even looking their way. He was merely fixated on a spot on the ground.

"You make it sound like we're the bad guys," Scarface observed. Jerrick shifted uneasily. His father used to work here, why did he think they were the bad guys?

"That's what it felt like," Jerrick said at last. Scarface laughed.

"I can assure you we're not the bad guys." He rose from his seat and sauntered over to the table. He grabbed a flask of water and poured himself a cup. "All this thinking is making me thirsty," Scarface said. He took a few sips from the cup and then, after topping up the cup, he returned to his seat and sat down.

"I've been doing the talking," Jerrick observed.

"I know," Scarface said. "But I have been doing the thinking." He stared at Jerrick, making the poor teenage boy squirm in his seat.

"What do you want?" Dustin asked. Jerrick heaved a sigh of relief. Scarface turned to look at Dustin.

"I want many things, kid," Scarface said. "I want a new sword, I want to get rid of this scar on my face, I want a lot of things. But mostly…" He pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and held it in front of them. "Do you know who this is?"

He was holding a drawing of a young adult. He had a mop of unruly hair and his fringe hung above his eyes. He had high cheekbones, and his sharp jawline and thin lips gave him an arrogant look. One thing he couldn't have been too arrogant about was his missing left leg. A metallic leg stood in its place instead. The description of a missing left leg rang a bell, but he couldn't recognise who the person in the picture was. Jerrick shook his head.

"He's known by many different names," Scarface explained. "Some call him the Dragon Conqueror, some call him the Dragon Master, others call him the Dragon Tamer… you get the idea. Basically, he tames dragons and rides them into battle. He ended the dragon raids on his home island and has been teaching people how to live peacefully with dragons. All in all, he's quite a good guy.

"Many people know his good side. The side which takes care of his own people, which puts others over his own needs. His stories have travelled far across the archipelago as well. He has led his team of dragon riders into battle many times, and has emerged victorious more often than not.

"But that's the problem. Most people only know his good side. People don't know his dark side. And it is his dark side that brings him the label of a terrorist. He's trying his best to achieve a utopia where dragons and humans can live together in peace. What people fail to realise is the sheer economic impact that his actions are causing. Dragon trade is declining, and that is one of the few trade staples outside the archipelago. With his attacks extending beyond the Barbaric archipelago, dragon trade has declined. The livelihood of certain tribes are being affected by this. Some of them rely on these trade routes for survival."

"I don't see how this makes him a terrorist," Corey said.

"Patience," Scarface said, gritting his teeth. "This isn't what makes him a terrorist. It's what he does to achieve this dragon-human utopia. He kills for it. People who stood in his way have died.

"And that's what makes him my greatest enemy. I have been trying to capture or kill him for the last few years, but to no avail. He always manages to escape."

"I thought you said you're not the bad guy?" Corey said.

"If you kill the leader of a villainous gang, are you the bad guy?" Scarface shot back.

"Killing is bad," Helka mumbled.

"I'm trying to kill the leader of a group that has killed so many people," Scarface growled. "Does that make me the bad guy? You know what, don't answer that." Scarface took another sip of water. "Anyway, now that you guys have interfered, I wouldn't be able to do so for a while. That's why I've been thinking. I've been thinking about how to continue."

"We're sorry," Kari said.

"Don't blame yourselves," Scarface said. "You didn't know everything."

"How would a modified weapon help to kill him anyway?" Jerrick asked.

"It's a long story," Scarface said. He took yet another sip of water. "We found out one of our men was giving information to the enemy."

"What sort of information?" Corey asked.

"Things like where our base is, what is our next plan, where do we plan to go, all sorts of things that would completely jeopardise anything that we plan to do. All this information makes us a prime target for an attack. Now that this information is out, we're basically sitting ducks, waiting for the terrorist to strike. Since he knows all our plans that involve going off our base island too, it would be tough to determine when he would make his move. So we can't do anything until he attacks. All we can do is set up traps, so we can capture him when he attacks. But I don't know who's trustworthy anymore. The one person we caught might not be the only mole in our team.

"So I decided to strike first. The problem is, how do we strike without alerting the enemy? The only way I could think of was by using the mole to strike back. No one would suspect that. Long story short, we planned to use weapons to supply 'secret information' to our men." He used air quotes around those two words. "It's a perfectly normal thing. We supply all sorts of secret information in many ways. But the difference is that this information is completely made up. The handle of the weapon would have a bomb in it made from Zippleback gas and Nightmare gel, and the bomb would be rigged to blow up in a few days time. Hopefully by then, the traitor would've given the weapon to the enemy. But you've ruined this entire plan." Scarface scowled at them. Jerrick dipped his head.

"But you can redeem yourselves," Scarface suddenly said. When Jerrick looked up, Scarface was looking at him with a smirk on his face. Jerrick suddenly understood what he meant.

"No, no, no! A thousand times no!" Jerrick exclaimed. "I will not help you kill him!" Scarface scoffed.

"Are you sure?" He questioned. "You don't want to help me kill a terrorist?"

"I'm sure," Jerrick said flatly. "I don't want to be a murderer."

"Killing someone who has killed many people doesn't make you a murderer," Scarface said.

"Yes it does," Jerrick insisted. He clenched his fists and leaned forward in his chair. Scarface sighed.

"Don't get so worked up. I have neither the time nor patience to discuss ethics with you anyway." Scarface turned around and faced Captain Jorgund. "Jorgund, untie them."

Captain Jorgund nodded. He called for his men, who quickly came into the room and began undoing the ropes.

"You're releasing us?" Corey asked incredulously while rubbing some feeling back into his wrists. "Just like that?"

"Like I said, I'm not the bad guy here," Scarface said calmly. "If you don't want to work for me, I won't force you to."

"Thanks for being so nice," Jerrick said sarcastically.

"I'm not being nice," Scarface said. "I'm simply giving you the option of choice. It's something you deserve."

"Alright then, well I choose to get out of here." Jerrick rose from his seat and began to walk out of the room.

"So be it." Scarface took another sip. "Before you leave, can I ask you a question, Jerrick Thurmond Brandt, son of Hagen Brandt?"

Jerrick froze. He spun around and faced Scarface.

"Your father was always talking about what a great son he had," Scarface continued coolly.

"My father never mentioned you," Jerrick said.

"I've never had the pleasure of meeting him," Scarface said coolly. "But Jorgund has told me many tales of your father. He always tells me stories of what his men do in the field, and I've heard the name Hagen Brandt appear many times. But how I know your father isn't important. What is really important is the question I'm going to ask you." Scarface stood up and placed the cup on the table before walking over to Jerrick. His hard, brown eyes gave him a stern and serious look.

"How eager are you to put an axe through the skull of your father's killer?"

Jerrick face darkened and his eyebrows twisted into a scowl. "Who is he?"

Scarface took another sip. "He's the very man I'm trying to kill."

Jerrick dug his nails into his palms and clenched his teeth. "Why didn't you tell me who he is earlier?" His voice sounded like a feral growl.

"You were too young," Scarface said. "You would've hunted him down until you got your revenge, even if you didn't know where he was. If you had done so, you wouldn't have lived a normal life. You wouldn't have made friends, you wouldn't have continued with your training. You would've been so obsessed, nothing would've stopped you. Even if you did find him, you wouldn't stand a chance. He uses dragons to kill. A Nadder killed your father. You wouldn't stand a chance against that dragon." Suddenly, Jerrick felt that the Nadder medallion in his pocket wasn't so beautiful any more.

"But now I can safely tell you who the killer was because you're older. You're more mature now, and I trust that you can make smarter decisions. You're better at fighting too. You also have your friends who will support you."

Jerrick hated to admit it, but Scarface was right. He looked at his friends. They seemed shocked at the revelation. He wondered if they would support him if he ran off to hunt down his father's killer.

"Let me ask you again, Jerrick," Scarface said, his voice cool and calm. "Are you in or not?"

Jerrick turned back to look at the drawing on Scarface's lap. He had no idea who killed his father before, and he could do absolutely nothing about it. But now, things have changed. He knew who the killer was, he was staring straight at a drawing of the man! His arrogant eyes stared straight out of the paper at Jerrick, as though he was taunting Jerrick. _Come after me! You don't stand a chance_, his eyes read. Jerrick closed his eyes and thought back to the day on the ship. The utter despair he felt, and then followed by the pure rage he released. The words he said on the ship echoed through his mind. _When I'm older, you will pay. I will find you, and I will finish you. _Now he had the chance to do exactly that. He opened his eyes and took a deep breath. With a loud sigh, he replied to Scarface.

"I'm in."

"Excellent," Scarface said. He rolled up the drawing and stowed it back in his pocket. "Your weapons are with Jorgund. He'll show you where they are. Come back here at this time tomorrow, I'll tell you the plan. In the meantime, you're free to go wherever you want to go."

They followed Captain Jorgund along the corridor and into another room. All their weapons and armour lay on a table, and they grabbed it happily. Jerrick felt the familiar engraving on the back of his breastplate. JT Brandt. The engraving was small and on a separate piece of leather that looked out of place on the new piece of armour, but he couldn't bear to have it thrown away. His father had engraved that for him when he first joined the academy. A growth spurt meant that he couldn't fit into the original breastplate, but Jerrick had cut out the original engraving from the smaller breastplate and attached it onto his current one. It was no bigger than a finger and the words had somewhat disappeared into the fading leather, but they were still there. It was one of the few memories that he had of his father.

And now it was time to avenge the lost memories.

They followed Captain Jorgund back into the corridor and down a flight of stairs. An empty armour showcase stood in a corner between two flights of stairs. The stairs opened into a bar, and immediately the scent of alcohol hit Jerrick. People were drinking in almost every corner. There was loud shouting, cheering, and almost anything one can find in a typical bar. Jerrick couldn't be more relieved when they walked out into the open air. The sun had set, and the paths were illuminated by moonlight and the lamps that burnt by the side of the gravel paths. They began walking back to their ship in silence, Jerrick pondering over the events that had just transpired, and the rest were too afraid to begin talking to him after what had happened.

"So…" Corey said at last.

"So?" Jerrick replied, raising an eyebrow at Corey.

"So… that just happened…"

"Yeah." They fell back into an uncomfortable silence.

"I'm sorry for all this," Jerrick said eventually. He raised a hand before any of them could say anything. "All this was my fault. Coming here, getting captured, choosing to go after this killer. You don't have to come with me if you don't want to."

"Don't be daft," Kari said. "Of course we're going with you."

"We're your friend," Corey added. Jerrick couldn't help but smile at his friends.

"I mean it though," Jerrick said. "If you want to quit at any time, feel free to do so. Don't do this just because you feel like you have to help me."

"We're not doing this because we have to help you," Dustin said. "We're doing this because we want to help you."

"It's been plaguing your mind for the last two years," Helka said. "Now you finally have the chance to do something about it. Of course we'll help you with it."

"Thanks guys," Jerrick said.

"Besides," Dustin added. "We were the ones who started this whole thing." Dustin didn't meet Jerrick's confused gaze. "I didn't want a weapon. I only suggested coming here to cheer you up." Jerrick felt a pinch of guilt. At the same time, he felt a nice, warm feeling enter his heart. He didn't know what to say.

"Let's quickly get back so we can come here on time tomorrow," Corey suggested as they boarded their ship. Jerrick could do nothing but nod dumbly.


	4. Chapter 3: Berk

**Chapter 3: Berk**

All Jerrick could hear was the wind rushing past his ears. He didn't dare open his eyes for the first ten minutes of the trip, but when he did, he was glad that he did. The sea looked so peaceful far beneath them, and the small sea stacks that dotted the sea looked so calm and inviting. But there was no time for any of that. They had a mission to complete.

And they were flying on a dragon for that.

Jerrick never thought that this day would come. He never imagined sitting on the back of a dragon, flying through the night sky, with the clouds an arms length away. He reached up and touched the clouds. Doing this always made him smile on his face, even though it could have been the hundredth time that he had done so this day. To be fair, he had no idea if the chance to touch the clouds would ever come again after this day. Then again, just a day ago he didn't know that he would be heading on a mission to capture his father's killer. How times have changed!

They had gone back and packed supplies for their mission before their briefing the next day. Immediately after the briefing they had set off on dragonback towards their target island. Berk was its name. It was a small island, made up of mostly forested areas. There was a small river that began from the sea and ran through the middle of the island. The river ended just a short distance inland, and it was there where they would be dropped off. Jerrick had packed a few spare clothes, a small flask for water and some medical supplies. He wore his leather armour and had a sword strapped onto his back. The rest had packed similar items. Kari and Dustin had an axe instead of a sword, and Corey had packed some spare food. Food wasn't a concern though. They were given more than enough. All the items that Scarface had given them were in a bag on its own, and Jerrick reached behind him just to be sure that it was still there. They were given food for a week, a map of the island they were headed to, dragon nip, and items to make a tent. And they had a cage with a Terrible Terror in it.

Bringing along that caged dragon was Scarface's idea. Terror mail was the fastest way to pass information back to them, and this information could very well make the difference. Their mission was primarily a reconnaissance mission. Scarface had reason to believe that Fury was working on a plan to infiltrate his base. Their mission was to find out what the plan was. If possible, they can capture Fury too, but if neither reconnaissance nor capture was possible, then killing on sight was permitted. Scarface remembered that they didn't want to kill, so reconnaissance was the primary goal.

The target was simply known by the codename Fury. In time he would find out the real name of the killer, but until then his only name would remain as Fury. Giving them codenames make them less personal, and so would prevent you from hesitating when you have the chance to capture or kill them, Scarface explained. As though Jerrick would hesitate. He had more than enough motivation to slash an axe straight through his neck without batting an eyelid.

"We're almost there," Yakfeet called from in front in his boring and half-dead voice. Yakfeet was a dull man. He had the build of a typical Viking, large bulky muscles and a tall frame. But the mountain of a man that he was could have easily blended in with the mountains far below them. He was such a dull and boring person that if he vanished from the face of Midgard, Jerrick doubted that anyone would even notice. If the thrill of flying couldn't inject life into him, nothing could. Maybe he was born half-dead. That had to be the only answer.

They were riding on three separate dragons, Singetails, to be precise. Jerrick and Kari were behind Scarface on one, Dustin and Helka were behind Yakfeet on another, and Corey was at the back with another dull and boring Viking named Blondhead. The plan, which didn't make any of them feel safe, was to go as high as possible and dive straight down at the right spot to avoid being detected by any of the Berkian patrols.

Stone statues of Vikings holding menacing weapons stood by the front of the Berkian island, bathed in silvery moonlight that gave it an eerie vibe. Their stone cold eyes stared straight ahead, chilling anyone who stood in their way. The main village was illuminated with small torches, casting an orange glow on the huts and paths. A circular stone pit lay near the edge of the village, surrounded by a wooden seating area. That was probably the arena that they were told about. No torches were lit inside the arena or on the grandstand. The nearest light source, apart from the moon, came from a torch beside a path near the arena, creating a dark shadow inside the arena. Weird shadowy figures could have been completely hidden in the darkness. Or maybe the famed Night Fury lay hidden there.

"Time to dive!" Scarface called, and without any further warning, he directed his Singetail to dive straight down. Jerrick clamped his eyes and mouth shut, preventing a loud and shrill scream from escaping his mouth. His heart leapt into his mouth. He felt Kari bury her face in his shoulder from behind him.

After a few nerve wracking seconds, the wind stopped screaming past his ears and he felt a slight jolt as the Singetail landed on the ground. He opened his eyes slightly, and he heaved a sigh of relief. The ground never looked so inviting before. He jumped off the dragon, and he stumbled a little as he landed on the soft ground. Feeling the ground for the first time after flying for so long felt weird. He began unloading the supplies. He handled the caged dragon with extra care, making sure his fingers did not get snapped off. Within a matter of seconds, all the supplies had been unloaded, and the three dragons took off and flew straight up into the dark night sky. Jerrick had to admit, the insertion plan was good. It happened so quickly, it was impossible to tell that there was any activity at all.

"Alright, now what?" Corey whispered. Jerrick looked at the surroundings. They really were in the middle of the forest. Tall, thick trees surrounded them on all sides, and silhouettes of small shrubs and bushes could be seen on the ground. Dead leaves and small twigs crunched beneath his feet as he walked around. How would they find their way around in the dark? The stars. They had been given a crash course on navigating at night using the stars and the moon. He walked into a slightly open area where moonlight could reach the ground. Pulling out the map of Berk, he squinted his eyes and tried to see the map. They were at the insertion point… hopefully. He had no way to check.

"According to the map, we're about two kilometres south east from the main village of Berk," Jerrick explained. "If we set off now we can make it there in about an hour. We'll scout out the village today, and then we'll work out a way to sneak into the village and capture Fury." They all nodded.

A minute later, they were ready to go. They left most of their supplies by the insertion point. They only brought along the important ones. Each of them had a flask of water and medical supplies, and they had some food and dragon nip in case they encountered any wild dragons.

"We have to head north west," Jerrick said. The first course of action was to find the brightest star among all the stars. That would be the North Star, which would point them towards the north. Next on the list was the moon. The moon rises in the east, and since the night was still young, wherever the moon was would be the east. So, the north west direction would be opposite the moon in the direction of the North Star. After a few minutes, he decided that he had found the north west direction. But he wanted to be sure. He grabbed two medium sized sticks from the forest floor and planted them into the ground. There was a bright star in the sky, and he made sure that the two sticks lined up perfectly with that star. After a few minutes, the star moved to the left side of the sticks and sank just below the tip of the sticks. The movement of the star from the sticks confirmed that the direction they were facing was north west. With a smile, Jerrick waved them along.

The trek through the forest was not easy. There were parts where the forest was open, and not a single tree blocked their path. Other parts however, it was impossible to go through without getting caught on thorns or having to bash through thick bushes or vines. At times like this, they moved off to the side and took a moment to confirm their direction before continuing. The trek could have been a lot faster too, but they didn't want to make too much noise in case a wild dragon heard them. By the time they walked a kilometre, they felt like they had walked ten. A layer of sweat was present on their faces and their wet clothes were clinging to their body despite the night being frigid cold. After about an hour and a half, they were rewarded by faint lights in the distance. Jerrick signalled for them to back off and climb up a nearby hill.

At the top of the hill, they could see everything the village had to offer. Many intricate wooden buildings littered the village. Most of them seemed to resemble an overturned ship. There didn't seem to be any pattern to the design. It seemed like if there was an empty space, they filled it with a structure of some sort. How it would link up with the other buildings would be decided after it was completed. The placement of torches in the village was just as random. Throw a dart at a map of the place, that's where a torch or a building would be placed.

The arena was near the sea at the far end of the village. Coloured banners and flags hung over the arena, flapping wildly as the sea breeze blew them from side to side. Right in front of them was the Great Hall. Even in the dim moonlight it stood tall and proud, boasting of all its glory and splendour. Large support pillars ran up the front of the hall, each pillar filled with intricate carvings. Jerrick realised that they could actually jump onto the roof of the hall. All they needed to do was to be brave enough to jump and they could land on the roof comfortably. Jerrick stowed this thought to the back of his head. It might come in handy. Not now, though. For now, all they could do was head back to their campsite and plan for the next day.

With a soft whistle, Jerrick called the others to begin to head back. They had spread out a little, as he had suggested, so if they were seen, they wouldn't be seen as one large group. Jerrick was surprised that these ideas seemed to come naturally to him, almost as though he had been doing this all his life. Maybe his father had taught him a lot more than he realised. Was this why Fury wanted to kill his father? Because he found him spying on his operations? Jerrick didn't know, but he made it a point to question Fury before he sent him to the grave. He could feel his heart beating even faster at the thought. The next day brought about the prospect of capturing Fury, and Jerrick smiled at the thought. He knew he wouldn't get a wink of sleep that night, but he was fine with that. It gave him time to formulate the perfect plan, a plan that wouldn't fail, and a plan that would put the life of his father's killer right into his own hands.

With a soft laugh, Jerrick disappeared back into the forest.

XX

Everyone rose early the next day, except for Jerrick, who hadn't slept at all. A quick breakfast of dried yak meat was all they ate before they set off for the village again. The others wanted to hear the plan before they set off, but an impatient Jerrick insisted that he will explain the plan as they moved.

"So, what's the plan Jerrick?" Dustin asked.

"We'll sneak around the main village and watch what happens in the arena," Jerrick explained. "From what I saw yesterday, there's a little cliff stretching along the left side of the village." He drew an imaginary line with his finger along the map as he explained. "We'll be heading to the start of the cliff, and then we will hug the edge of the cliff until we reach the arena. There's a small gap between the end of the cliff face and the arena, and we have to hope that no one spots us when we dash across. At the arena, we can hide behind some of the banners or among the wooden seats."

"Sounds great," Corey said.

When they reached the village, they climbed up the mountain which they had trekked up the day before to gain some vision over the village. Jerrick crawled carefully to the edge, being very careful not to expose too much of himself. When he took a look at the village however, he was not ready for what he saw.

Nothing.

The village was empty. There were no Vikings roaming the streets, or any people selling anything by the stalls. Stalls were cleared of any sellable items, barrels lay closed and untouched by the side of the stalls. What happened? Suddenly, a loud cheer arose from the distance. Jerrick whipped his head towards the direction of the noise. In the distance, he saw the arena filled with Vikings moving around in the seats, most of them waving their hands energetically over their heads. He wondered if they were rioting or cheering. Suddenly, a black and a green dragon came flying in from behind a hill. They carried a sheep each in their talons. Loud cheering erupted again when they appeared in sight. They flew over the arena and dropped the sheep into a basket on a raised platform. The cheering rose again. The two dragons flew towards their direction. Jerrick scrambled for cover. There wasn't much cover at the top of the hill. The tree would have to do. He ran behind it and ducked. He looked to his sides. Thankfully, his friends did the same. He felt the rustle of the leaves as the dragons swooped past them. When they had passed, he crawled out from behind the tree and took a look at the sky, trying to see where the dragons went. Did they go towards their campsite? Did they somehow find them? What were they doing with the sheep?

As Jerrick thought of these things, he failed to notice the crowd cheering loudly again behind him. His mind was too preoccupied with getting caught, and ironic enough, that was what got him caught. High up in the sky, a blonde girl riding a Deadly Nadder felt something was amiss. Whether it was a slight contrast in the colour, or some glint in the corner of her eye she did not know, but what she knew was to trust her gut instinct. And it was her gut instinct that led her to look in the direction where Jerrick and his friends were at. She spotted a young boy standing at the top of a mountain, his eyes fixed on the sky. Without a second thought, she patted her Nadder on the head and leaned towards her left. Her Nadder let out a squawk and complied. They flew as fast as they could to the boy, and in the blink of an eye they had landed in front of him. The boy blinked twice rapidly when they first landed. Suddenly, he scrambled backwards and began to run.

But he forgot that behind him was a steep slope, the steepest in Berk in fact, so steep that many passed it off as a cliff face instead of a slope. He failed to keep his balance, and if the blonde girl hadn't directed her Nadder to fly forward and catch the boy before he tumbled all the way down, he might not be alive to tell the tale. She put the boy down on the ground in the middle of the Berkian village. Dismounting her dragon and unsheathing her axe, she asked a simple question, her glaring eyes baring deep holes into the skull of the teenage boy.

"Who the hell are you?"


	5. Chapter 4: Up Close And Personal

**A/N: How's the story going? It would be great if y'all could leave a review telling me how you have enjoyed it so far, and what could be improved! **

* * *

**Chapter 4: Up Close And Personal**

Warm fumes rose from the cup and tickled the inside of his nostrils. He breathed it in and felt the warm air filter through his lungs. It felt nice having warmth back into his body after being out in the cold for a whole night. They hadn't lit a fire, fearing that the light might give them away.

He took a sip from the cup the blonde girl had given him. The hot drink they gave him tasted good. Warmth trickled down his throat and spread across his entire body. As he was drinking, the door opened. Jerrick expected to see the blonde girl who was being surprisingly nice to him.

But when Jerrick saw who was at the doorway, all the warmth left his body and instead it was replaced by an icy coldness.

In the doorway stood Fury. Unlike the drink they had given him, his face did not look warm at all. His green eyes were hard, and his lips were pursed into a thin smile. His metallic foot thumped on the wooden ground as he quickly closed the distance between the door and Jerrick. All his henchmen entered the room as well. They stood a distance behind and remained silent, except for a pair of twins. They were constantly bickering or doing something stupid. Maybe musketeers would be a better word to describe them.

Fury took a chair and sat in front of Jerrick. He glanced down at the cup in Jerrick's hand and smiled. Was it poisoned?

"I see you've been given our signature Berkian beverage," he said.

"Yeah, it's good," Jerrick said. Absently, his fingers fidgeted with the cup.

"Is it good, or is it awesome?" One of the two twins asked him, eyebrows raised and hands on his hips. Jerrick stared blankly at him for a moment.

"Don't worry about him," Fury interrupted. "He's always doing these things." The blonde girl nudged Fury on the shoulder. He sighed.

"Alright, I guess it's time to address the Gronckle in the room." Jerrick stiffened. He mentally braced himself for the onslaught of questions. Before they came in, he had prepared himself for the basic questions. The only thing he had to worry about were questions that he hadn't prepared for.

"Who are you?" Fury asked. Jerrick remembered the engraving on the back of his breastplate. JT Brandt.

"My name's Brandt." As much as he had tried earlier, he hadn't been able to think of any other names that began with J and T. He didn't want to give his real name, in case Fury might recognise him as the son of Hagen Brandt.

"For a moment I was hopeful that Fishface here would have competition for the worst name," the short Viking said, earning an indignant 'hey!' from the Viking who would be Fishface.

"Not the time, Snotlout," Fury said. Did everyone on this island have a horrible name? Fury diverted his attention back to Jerrick and cleared his throat. Maybe that was his name. Clearthroat or Cough or Sneeze or Hiccup or Burp or some other bodily action. "How did you get here?"

"I was shipwrecked," Jerrick answered. Scarface had told them to stick to this cover story, no matter what. They would do what they can to make sure the cover story was believable. He hoped that they fulfilled their side of the plan.

"Then why don't I see a wrecked ship?" The same twin asked. Jerrick couldn't think of anything to say to him. Was he being serious?

"Tuffnut, that's enough," Fury said. "The ship was wrecked, that's why you don't see it."

"Fair point, Hiccup," Tuffnut said. So his name was Hiccup? He guessed that right after all. "But if his ship was wrecked, how did he get here?"

"I had an emergency longboat on the ship," Jerrick said. "I managed to put it out to sea before the ship sank. I paddled for a while before I simply let the current carry me, and before I knew it, I arrived here. The forest is quite thick, I must say."

"How long were you out at sea?" The Viking known as Fishface asked.

"Two days," Jerrick said quickly. Much too quickly, he thought in hindsight.

"Two days," Fishface repeated. "Not long enough to get any serious illnesses, but there might be a chance that he could have-"

"Thanks, Fishlegs," Fury interrupted. Apparently Fishface did not have a fixed name. Someone might call him Fishtail next. Jerrick decided to just call him the Fishman until he knew his actual name. Fury turned back to Jerrick. "Was there anyone else with you?"

Jerrick hesitated. He hadn't expected this. Should he say that he had a few friends? If they were here, they could help him search for information much easier. But if these Berkians didn't know about them…

"No," Jerrick said. "After the shipwreck… I was the only one alive." He lowered his eyes for effect.

"How did it happen?" The blonde girl asked. He looked to the side and let a hurt expression cross his face.

"I don't want to talk about it," Jerrick said. He noticed the blonde girl raise an eyebrow at the corner of his eye.

"You don't have to," Fury said softly. He gave a soft smile. "I'm sorry to hear that. In the meantime, you're our guest here until you can find a way back to your home.

"You're on the island of Berk. My name's Hiccup, and these are my friends. Astrid, Snotlout, Fishlegs, Tuffnut and Ruffnut." He waved a hand at each of them as he introduced them. Jerrick made it a point to remember all their names. "Feel free to come to any of us if you need anything."

"Anything at all," the girl named Ruff said smoothly. She fluttered her eyelids at him. Disgusting.

"Ruff," Fury called sternly. Jerrick cleared his throat.

"Thank you Fu- for being so kind," Jerrick said. Close shave with death. "I'll let you know if I need anything."

"Take care Brandt," Fury - no, Hiccup, he should start calling him by that name - said to him. He had to get used to being called Brandt too. "We'll take care of you." He smiled again, and for a brief moment Jerrick could sense warmth coming from him. Maybe it's this warmth that lured so many people to their deaths. Would he be the next? Hiccup and his cronies rose from his seat and began to leave the hut.

When they had left, Jerrick took a moment to analyse his surroundings. This had to be a guest hut or something to that extent. No one would simply put a stranger in their own hut. The hut was cosy and quaint, he had to admit. Wooden planks lined the walls of the house and did a good job keeping the cold out. There was a fireplace in the middle of the hut. The fire crackled and sparks flew out of the dancing flames. Beside it was a makeshift kitchen. There was not too much crockery available, just a basic kettle for boiling water and a pan. Enough to keep the place neat and cosy.

Subtly enough, the hut seemed to hint Jerrick on to his next course of action. Get nice and cosy with Hiccup. Learn about his plan from his own mouth. Get up close and personal with his own father's killer. He shuddered. It wasn't going to be easy, but it had to be done.

Outside the window, the sun was almost at the highest point in the sky. It was almost time for lunch. There should be food in the Great Hall, most tribes had that anyway. It would be a welcome change from all the stale food they had packed. How were the others doing? He made a mental note to give a signal as he went to the Great Hall. Perhaps they would still be there looking out for any sign of him. He walked out of the guest hut and took a look around him. The guest huts were situated near the arena, much to his delight. On the downside though, it did make it quite tough to simply roam into the wilderness behind the Great Hall. The path to the Great Hall was quite wide. A raw fish was lying in the middle of the path, and Jerrick grabbed it and tossed it into a wooden tray by the side of the path. Water splashed out of the tray and splattered on the floor. That was probably a water point for the dragons. Immediately, a blue Gronckle landed beside the path and began to drink greedily from the water point. He tried not to react to it, no matter how much his instincts told him otherwise. Leave them alone, and they would leave you alone, that's what he was told. He had been briefed about the peace between dragons and Vikings on Berk before coming here. It was definitely something he had to get used to if he wanted to stay on Berk for a while. The Gronckle picked up the fish that Jerrick threw in there and ate it quickly. Its massive jaw moved up and down in smooth motions as it chewed the fish. Suddenly, the Gronckle stopped chewing and looked up at him, and suddenly Jerrick realised he was staring at the dragon. He looked away as quickly as possible. Staring at a dragon was probably not the most effective way of showing that he didn't mean any harm.

As he approached the Great Hall, he took a quick look around. He didn't see any sign of his friends on top of the hill they were at, but he guessed that they were probably somewhere there. Try a bit harder, and he'll probably spot them.

"That's the Haddock house," a nasally voice spoke from behind him. Jerrick whirled around. He didn't want anyone to see him looking above the Great Hall.

Behind him was a rather short and stocky Viking. One hand and one leg was replaced by a metallic hook and a wooden peg respectively, and he had a long blonde moustache that extended down to his chest. His giant stomach bulged out a lot, desperately trying to escape the clothes restraining it.

"Majestic, ain't it," the man said again. What was he talking about? Suddenly, he noticed it. There was a house slightly to his left. He had been too preoccupied with searching for his friends on the hill that he didn't notice the house standing tall and proud on another hill off to his left.

"Yeah, it's pretty nice," Jerrick said.

"That's where the chief and his heir stays," the man said.

"Who's the chief?" Jerrick asked.

"Him." The man pointed at a large, burly Viking standing at the entrance of the Great Hall. He had a thick auburn beard that was braided, and his massive hands were welcoming people into the hall by patting them on their backs. He was an imposing man, no doubt. No one would want him as an enemy. "Stoick the Vast, they call him," the man continued. A chief like that should have an equally imposing heir too. Jerrick wondered who was the heir. He hadn't seen anyone who was as massive as the chief. Snotlout, maybe? He was the closest.

"And Hiccup's the heir," the man responded, as though reading his mind. A thousand things raced through Jerrick's mind. Hiccup's the heir? How did such a massive Viking get such a scrawny child? But his mind was screaming something else that many would have overlooked. That house is where Hiccup stays! Jerrick tried not to react to this news. His mind was screaming a thousand different ways to use this to his advantage. Knowing Hiccup's house can make things a lot easier. Maybe they could capture him as he left or something like that.

"Who's the chieftess?" Jerrick asked.

"She was taken by dragons a long time ago," the man replied. Jerrick nodded thoughtfully. So Hiccup lived there with his father and his dragon. There were only two people in that house - three if you wanted to count the dragon. Scarface had warned him not to underestimate the power that dragons had. Maybe three would be a better representation.

"My name's Gobber," the man suddenly said. Jerrick snapped out of his thoughts.

"Jerrick," he responded.

"Jerrick? Hiccup told me your name is Brandt." Jerrick froze. He had been so preoccupied he forgot his cover name.

"Yes, but… my friends call me Jerrick. It's my middle name."

"I don't think that I'm close enough to you to call you what your friends call you," the man chuckled. Jerrick heaved a soft sigh of relief. "Going for lunch?"

"In a while, I'm not that hungry yet," Jerrick replied.

"Catch you later." Gobber began to hobble to the Great Hall, leaving Jerrick standing there on his own.

Jerrick turned back to face the Haddock house. Heading there was probably a bad idea, but something in him kept urging him towards that place. What if he got caught? He hadn't found anything valuable yet, this whole mission would have been in vain. Yet the daring and determined side of him kept pushing him towards the house, like a piece of metal to a magnet. Most people would be at lunch anyway, so the house should be empty, right? After all, the chief was at the entrance of the Great Hall. He probably wouldn't be going home any time soon. Jerrick took one more glance at the Great Hall. The chief was still there. He would be able to see him head towards his house from there though. A good thing was that the house was on hill, so he could sneak around on the far side, using the small hill as cover.

Jerrick began to walk back the way he came. He sneaked another glance over his shoulder. The chief wasn't looking his way. Abruptly, he dashed off to his side, ducking between two huts. If anyone saw him, they would probably think he's mad. He dashed out the back of the small alleyway and found himself on the far side of the hill. The front of the Great Hall was still visible, but only the top half. The chief had gone underneath the ground. Jerrick didn't want to take chances though. He ducked down and moved quickly towards the Haddock house. The grass felt soft underneath his feet, but he felt it get harder and drier as he approached the house. Whether it was actually getting harder and drier or if it was his imagination he couldn't tell.

The house drew closer and closer, and before long Jerrick found himself at the Haddock house. Hidden from the Great Hall, he could finally examine the house without any villagers judging him. It resembled an overturned ship, just like the other houses, but it was bigger than the rest. Why the Berkians liked this style so much, he didn't know. All he knew was that it didn't look that bad. Sure, there were other better designs for houses, but he couldn't say that this was the worst he had ever seen.

There were large wooden spikes along the side of the house near the front. There were three spikes on each side. The wall was made out of light coloured wooden planks. The house was tall, it probably had two storeys or a loft somewhere. There was a small hatch near the top of the house. If only there was a way to reach that. Would the planks in the wall provide him a way to climb up? Sadly, there were no gaps in between the planks where he could stick his leg or a hand in. That should have been expected. Why would there be gaps in a wall? The cold would go in too easily. He chided himself for thinking there would be gaps. So if the wall couldn't be climbed, that left only one option. The large spikes. They weren't that far apart. He could easily reach the first one and pull himself up onto the second one. The third one was a little further away, but at that point the roof was a little flatter and so he could push off the roof a little to reach the third. There was only one problem. The spikes were at the front of the house. If he were to climb it now, the whole village and their ancestors would see him climbing up. There was not a chance he wouldn't be spotted. Maybe if he came back at the dead of night he could go up. But would there be a point? Could he hope to gain anything from climbing the house? Far above him, the blue Gronckle he saw earlier flew over him. It looked at him briefly, and Jerrick could feel his heart in his mouth. But thankfully, the Gronckle looked forward again and continued flying wherever it was intending to go. Jerrick exhaled deeply. What did the Gronckle want? Did it know he was trying something, or does it have some deep rooted loyalty to Hiccup? He couldn't tell. But he knew one thing for certain, though. He couldn't do anything more here. There was nothing he could hope to learn from staying here. If he wanted to gain some information, he could only hope to do it in one way. Get close to Hiccup. Prise the information straight from his mouth. Get up close and personal with his father's killer.


	6. Chapter 5: The Plan

**Chapter 5: The Plan **

The night fell quickly, just like most winter nights did. Funny thing is, it wasn't even winter yet. It was late autumn at best, but the problem with living in the far north is that winter seemed to be ever present. Daylight became a precious commodity as winter drew nearer. With darkness falling over the land, most people would have been wrapped up in their cosy homes, sitting in front of a crackling fire and preparing to turn in for the night.

Not Jerrick. He was dressed in warm clothing, preparing to head out. Although the warm fire and mattress practically pulled him into the hut with invisible strings, he had to go and see his friends. The guest hut Jerrick had been given was situated on the far side of the village. It was one of the furthest huts from the Great Hall, but the good thing about the hut was its proximity to the arena. Being near the arena meant that he would be near to where the dragon riders trained.

Jerrick opened the door, and immediately the cold air stung his face, forcing an involuntary shiver out of his body. If it was this cold, how were his friends surviving in the open? He filled a few flasks with hot water from the kettle. Warm food would have been better, but he didn't have any on hand and he didn't feel like explaining himself if he went into the Great Hall to get the leftovers. The food there wasn't the best, anyway. Jerrick suddenly realised that he was just convincing himself that they wouldn't want the food. What kind of a friend was he? Of course they would want warm food. Besides, he could always say that he was hungry from his shipwrecking ordeal. He grabbed his bag and headed into the frigid cold.

As he walked, his mind wandered back to the two meals he had in the Great Hall. He had attached himself to Hiccup the whole time. If anyone had asked, he would have said that he didn't know anyone besides Hiccup and his friends. The friends with names that could easily pass off as the worst names in the world. There should be a record for these kinds of things. Either way, weird names or not, staying close to Hiccup gave him a lot of insight. For one, he learnt that Toothless was really tame. When he first walked into the hall, to say that he was scared to see a Night Fury in the hall was an understatement. He simply froze at the entrance, none of his limbs responded to anything his brain was telling them. The fear in him was primal, as though a large venomous snake had suddenly appeared in his lap. There was nothing he could do to avoid it. The people in the hall probably started to freeze from the cold air coming into the hall, because Hiccup quickly came to him and reassured him that the dragon was friendly - after closing the door. Jerrick was shaking as he slowly approached the dragon, but nonetheless, with Hiccup's soothing reassurance and through his own determination, he placed a hand on Toothless' snout. The feeling of the rough, scaly snout under his hand was surreal. Never in his lifetime did he imagine coming face to face with the most feared dragon in history, much less touching it. He didn't want to push it though. Toothless, as friendly as he was, was still a dragon. He didn't want to risk losing a limb or two, so he kept his distance from the sleek, black dragon. He wouldn't say that he was friends with Toothless, but the pair mutually accepted each other. Toothless probably sensed his fear too. Whether a dragon could actually smell fear he didn't know. How a dragon worked or even the basic characteristics of the dragons was never something he took an interest in. He'd rather steer clear of them altogether.

Jerrick also learnt that the twins leaked information faster than a barrel with a gaping hole in the side could leak water. For the twins, every conversation seemed to somehow drift towards the 'operation', as they called it. Jerrick noticed that Hiccup would always kill any conversation of that topic as fast as possible. Prying when Hiccup was around would never be an option. He was too smart. That's another thing that Jerrick learnt. He wouldn't be able to pry if Hiccup - or even Astrid for that matter - was around. If he wanted to pry, he had to find some time to spend with the twins. That wouldn't be too hard to do. They seemed to have a knack for causing some mischief, and all he had to do was reciprocate their feelings.

Jerrick took the stairs to the Great Hall two at a time. The tall pillars stood tall and looming over him, as though reminding him how small he was. At this point of time, getting warm food for his friends was his priority. Would there even be food? It was quite late, after all. No harm trying. Jerrick pushed open the large doors and entered the hall. Immediately the warm air rushed out and warmed his frozen face. After walking through the freezing cold, the warmth of the Great Hall was so inviting.

But the stares he was getting from Hiccup and his friends were not.

Hiccup was simply looking at him with a bewildered expression on his face. He had a small stick in his left hand, and the others were seated in a semicircle around him. There was a board behind him, and on it was a map of a place that Jerrick couldn't identify. The map had many red markings on it. Arrows, dashes, circles and lines, and all sorts of symbols that probably made sense to the riders. It took a while for it to dawn on Jerrick that he probably interrupted a briefing or a lecture. Before he could pull his eyes away though, Astrid stood up and grabbed her axe.

"What are you doing here?" Her voice dripped with icy coldness. It hinted that he shouldn't be here - scratch that, it _told_ him without any doubt that he shouldn't be here. Her ferocious glare and the axe in her hand didn't help the cause. Jerrick found himself unable to respond. He felt his eyes widen at the sight of the axe, his jaw hung loosely.

Hiccup must have noticed his fear, because he stood up and whispered something to Astrid. She gave Hiccup a glare that should have killed him if looks could kill, but ultimately she sat back down. The moment she sat down though, Jerrick saw her eyes lock back onto him, as though warning and threatening him against trying anything. Hiccup didn't seem all that bad now. Maybe Astrid was the murderer.

"Don't worry Jerrick, we won't kill you," Hiccup said, chuckling and smiling awkwardly at his attempt at a joke. He scratched the back of his head with his hand. Jerrick doubted that statement very much, but he heaved a sigh of relief nonetheless. Hiccup sighed, probably because no one found his joke funny, Jerrick thought. "What are you doing here at this time?" Hiccup asked.

"I was searching for some food," Jerrick answered. That much was true. He didn't need to say who it was for.

"There's some at the back of the hall," Hiccup said. "Some people are already packing it up so you better hurry."

Jerrick made to leave, but he stopped. This would be a good chance to pry a little. No need to go into details, but just to have a general gist of what they were planning. He turned back to face them. "Are you sure I can go to the back? Am I interrupting something?"

"Not-" Hiccup began, but the twins interrupted him.

"You're interrupting the greatest destruction plan of all time!" The male twin said. Tuff was his name, if Jerrick remembered correctly.

"Yeah!" The female twin - Ruff - said.

"How dare you interrupt this mighty destruction?" Tuff stood up and placed his hands on his hips. If he was really angry, Jerrick couldn't tell.

"This awesome catastrophe!" Ruff waved her arms around to emphasise her point.

"This grand explosion!" Tuff did the exact same thing as his sister.

"This-" Ruff was cut off by the short Viking, Snotlout.

"I think we get the point, muttonheads," he said dryly. "Is this a good enough reason to throw these two idiots out, Hiccup?"

"We're not throwing anyone out, Snotlout." Hiccup pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Fine." Snotlout crossed his arms. "But if this goes wrong, you know who to blame. And it's definitely not me!" He pointed a finger at Hiccup. Hiccup sighed.

"What are you planning on blowing up?" Jerrick feigned a shocked look. It seemed to work. Hiccup's exasperated look softened.

"We're not blowing anything, or anyone, up," Hiccup said.

"That was so not the plan," Tuff sighed.

"Actually it was," the largest Viking, Fishlegs, remarked in a soft voice. "Hiccup didn't plan any explosions. It was the two of you who planned to explode the whole place. We're not using all that Zippleback gas for a large explosion." Another leaky barrel, Jerrick thought. Maybe Fishlegs could be useful too.

"We'll do it sis," Tuff said softly to Ruff, almost as though he was consoling himself. "We don't need their approval."

"And that's why any plan Hiccup makes always fails," Snotlout remarked while waving his hands in the air.

"It doesn't always fail…" Hiccup protested, but his voice trailed off. He probably remembered that Jerrick was still standing there. Suddenly Jerrick felt very isolated and alone. The urge to see his friends became even stronger all of a sudden. But he didn't want to go to them empty-handed. Whether it meant going with food or going with information… he had yet to decide. But he had to make a decision right now.

"What plans?" Jerrick asked. He felt one of the riders shoot him a glare. He took a brief glance at all the riders, but none were glaring at him. He shrugged it off. Weird feelings weren't uncommon ever since he reached Berk.

"It's nothing," Hiccup shrugged it off. "Just a couple of adventures that we had together."

"Where did you go?" Jerrick asked.

"Nowhere in particular," Astrid interrupted. It seemed that every time she talked, everything in the path of her voice would turn to ice. People could probably pluck icicles off her voice if they tried hard enough. "Didn't you come to collect some food?"

"Yeah," Jerrick said. "Where can I find some again?"

"At the back of the hall." Astrid pointed towards the other end of the hall. Her actions made it very clear that he was overstaying his welcome. Jerrick began to walk towards the other side of the hall, deliberately cutting through the middle of their meeting. He glanced at Hiccup as he passed him. Jerrick thought he must've been dreaming, because the way Hiccup looked at him Jerrick could almost imagine that Hiccup pitied him because of the way Astrid was treating him. If he were Hiccup he would pity himself too. Then again, did Hiccup really pity him? Maybe he thought too much about his facial expressions. He was a terrorist after all. Masking emotions and displaying fake ones shouldn't be a problem.

He finally reached the end of the Great Hall where a few women were scooping the leftover food into barrels. Politely, he asked them if he could have some. They obliged. The savoury smell of the warm goat stew tickled his nostrils as he scooped some of it into a few waterproof satchels. He smiled. His friends were definitely going to be delighted to have warm food. And warm food wasn't the only thing he was bringing to them. A plethora of information was coming their way, and it was all thanks to Jerrick.

Little did Hiccup know, but as Jerrick was listening to the riders talk about random things, he was memorizing every detail on the map. All the red markings, all the arrows, every single detail went into his memory. All he had to do was rush back to his guest hut and write down everything he had memorized.

Jerrick filled the last satchel and began to head back to the guest hut. He decided to take a back entrance so he didn't need to see the living incarnation of a female ice demon again. Silently, he began the frigid walk back to his hut.

XX

"You found the plan?" Kari asked. He couldn't see her eyebrows raise in the darkness of the night, but he knew her well enough to know that it was happening right now.

"Yeah," Jerrick said. He laid out the crudely recreated map that he drew. He squinted his eyes, but he couldn't see anything in the dim moonlight. Dustin went over to the caged Terror and pulled its tail. Just as they were taught, the dragon let out a small glow. Bright enough to see the map, but dim enough to be spotted from a distance away. At least, Jerrick hoped that the light was dim enough. He didn't want their makeshift campsite to be discovered. That would be bad.

The map was now illuminated enough to be seen. The five of them poured over the map. Jerrick found it quite an amusing sight, five teenagers on their hands and knees, hunched over a small, crudely drawn and completely not to scale map. Jerrick could see Corey's analytical mind began to work immediately. His head tilted as he looked at the map from a different angle, and his eyes squinted and his eyebrows furrowed as he absorbed and processed the information the map held. To be fair, the plan on the map was quite a unique one. He had seen enough battle plans to understand the basics, courtesy of his father. Generally, arrows would be used to indicate the direction of attack, while other weird symbols that Jerrick couldn't remember off the top of his head would mean other things, such as places to keep watch or protect.

In this case though, there weren't any of these symbols. Information could only be extracted from the arrows, dashes, and circles on the map, and these were quite confusing. The map had a large circular area in the centre, and four straight paths led out of this circular area. Jerrick remembered that Fishlegs said something about tunnels. The centre portion must be a chamber, and the four paths had to be tunnels that led out of the chamber. There were four arrows on the map, one for each tunnel. Oddly enough, the arrows were pointing out of the chamber. It didn't make sense to attack from inside the chamber, unless there was a hole they could enter from. Even so, diving head first into a hole without any information of what was inside was a stupid move, whether they had dragons or not. Besides the arrows, there were dashes across two of the exits, as though those exits were blocked. There were two lines leading into these two exits. One of these lines was curved, and the other was straight. It was probably some entry or exit route, but what relation did the dashes or arrows have to these lines? There were circles on the ends of the two tunnels that didn't have dashes drawn against them. Once again, Jerrick found himself unable to determine what these circles meant. It could mean anything. Was it where they planned to fight? Was it a warning not to enter through that route? Jerrick hoped Corey would be able to do a better job than him. He looked at Corey expectantly, but expectations don't always match reality.

"There isn't enough information on this map," Corey said. "I can't tell what their plan is from this map alone."

"What else do you need?" Jerrick whined. He had expected this conclusion, but to hear it out loud was a different thing. Going back and interacting with Hiccup was the last thing he wanted. Doing it for one day was tiring enough. How much longer did he need to keep it up?

"I don't know," Corey said. Very unhelpfully, Jerrick thought. "Anything can help though. Did you hear anything by chance?"

"They mentioned something about tunnels and explosions…" Jerrick said. He realised that in his hurry to pass Corey the map he forgot to mention this. Corey returned to the map. His eyes narrowed again, trying to make sense of the new information. But it didn't seem to help. Corey's shoulders slumped.

"Doesn't help that much," he admitted. "If anything, it makes it worse. There aren't any explosion symbols."

"What would help?" Jerrick whined. Corey shrugged his shoulders.

"I can't say for certain," he said. "A lot of things would help, but at the same time a lot of things wouldn't."

"Thanks." Jerrick rolled his eyes. The darkness of the night probably prevented them from seeing him do so.

"Just get whatever information you can get," Corey said. "It might help in the long run. Be quick though, if they have a map with sketches on it, it probably means that they would strike soon." Jerrick pursed his lips and looked away. He knew what was in store for him. More interactions with Hiccup and his idiots.

"Thanks for the food," Dustin said happily.

"Yeah, whatever," Jerrick said dismissively.

"Hey, be glad you have a hut to stay in and warm food to eat," Helka chided.

"Believe you me, I would rather be here in the cold with you guys than in the warm hut with them," Jerrick said darkly. He stood up and sulked off a short distance away from the rest. Sitting down, he leaned back on his palms and looked up into the sky. The Terrible Terror had stopped illuminating the area, leaving the moon as the only source of light. The branches cut off most of the light from reaching the forest floor, creating patches of darkness that seemed to close in on him. The tall trees in the night sky stood menacingly overhead, squeezing the life out of him. The leaves seemed to sap the strength out of him, which gave them energy to sway freely in the wind. As the wind blew, he smelled the familiar scent of lavender around him, and immediately Jerrick knew that Kari had come to sit beside him. She sat directly beside him, with their shoulders touching. The two of them sat in silence for a while.

"Are you okay?" Kari asked at last. Jerrick sighed.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he lied. It probably wasn't the most convincing lie, because he could feel Kari's eyes press into his soul. An awkward silence ensued, and Jerrick knew that the only way it will end is if he talked. Dipping his head, he sighed again.

"Okay, maybe I'm not fine now. Don't worry about me though, I'll be okay." Kari looked forward.

"I can't simply stop worrying about you," she said softly. "You haven't been yourself ever since we met Scarface."

"Yeah, I was just told who my father's killer was, and given a chance to hunt him down. That should cause a lot of people to change." Jerrick said sarcastically. He suddenly realised that was exactly what Kari was talking about. Jerrick turned to look at Kari. "I haven't changed that much, right?"

Kari's green eyes met his. "Well, you haven't been your usual cheery self. Ever since that day you've been all business and no games or chit-chat."

"I don't want to chit-chat," Jerrick hissed. He immediately knew that sentence came out wrong when he noticed Kari dipped her head. Another awkward silence began. Jerrick knew he should say something, but what could he say? He dared a glance at Kari. She was looking up into the sky, a look of worry and thoughtfulness etched on her face. Sighing, he turned and enveloped her hand in his.

"I'm sorry, Kari. I didn't mean it that way. I would love to sit and talk and hang out with all of you, but I've a lot on my mind. Talking to Hiccup while resisting the urge to drive a knife into his eye is taking a lot out of me." Jerrick chuckled a little. The thoughtful look on her face stayed, but it softened a little. Her brown hair twirled magnificently against the moonlight as she shook her head.

"I can't imagine what it's like having to be near and interact with someone who hurt you so much," she began. "I won't know how you feel. But know that we're always here for you, Jerrick. We'll always be here to help you." She smiled, and for a brief moment the moonlight illuminated her warm, forest green eyes. They sparkled like a beautiful emerald in the bright moonlight.

"Thanks, Kari," Jerrick said. She retracted her hand, and immediately Jerrick missed the warmth that her hand brought. The moon continued to shine brightly in the night sky, creating bright patches among the darkened shadows. They were sitting in a bright patch, bathed in the warm glow of the moonlight.

Suddenly Jerrick stilled unnaturally. Kari shot him a worried look.

"What is it?" Kari asked.

"Worm," Jerrick said suddenly, pointing at Kari's leg. Her head jerked down to where he was pointing and she began to shake her leg rapidly, muffling a scream at the same time. It took her a few seconds to hear Jerrick's stifled laughter, and Jerrick saw annoyance flash across her face before a smile appeared on her face.

"Demon child," she said. Jerrick couldn't help himself anymore. He broke out in laughter. Kari jabbed a finger between his ribs, and if she thought it was going to stop the laughter, boy, was she wrong.

"You should've seen the look on your face," Jerrick said between fits of laughter. He felt the jabs on his ribs continue. He grabbed her hand just as another jab was about to prod his ribs, and quickly grabbed the other one too before she could attack again.

"Let go!" Kari squealed.

"Not unless you stop tickling me," Jerrick responded. Kari tried yanking her hands back, but Jerrick held firm. The warmth from her soft hands felt nice against his freezing hands. Finally, Kari stopped struggling.

"Fine, you win, now give me back my hands." Jerrick released her hands. She jabbed him once more in the ribs for good measure, earning an indignant cry from Jerrick. They continued to sit beside each other for a while in a silence that was comfortable and relaxing. But all good things must come to an end, and Jerrick knew that all too well. It was getting late.

"I should head back," he said sadly. Kari glanced at the sky, and nodded her head. She turned to look into his eyes, her emerald eyes sparkling in the bright moonlight.

"Take care, Jerrick," she said. Jerrick smiled.

"I will."

"We're always here if you need anything." They stood up. Kari gave him one more smile. They continued to stand there facing each other, both sides expecting something else that would give them an excuse to stay a little longer.

Suddenly, Kari leaned forward, and kissed Jerrick on the cheek. He felt her soft lips linger there for a moment. Jerrick didn't react as Kari pulled back. She seemed just as stunned as him, and all Jerrick did as she turned and ran back to the campsite was stand there dumbly.


	7. Chapter 6: Illogical Inventions

**A/N:** Double upload this weekend, probably. Let me know how you have been finding the story so far!

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**Chapter 6: Illogical Inventions**

Jerrick arose early even before the light began to stream into the guest hut. How he managed to rise early he had no idea. If anything, he should be sleeping later, because he only returned to the village of Berk when the moon was almost at its highest point in the sky. Maybe it was the unfamiliarity of the surroundings, or maybe it was merely the thought of having to face Hiccup and his idiots again. He sighed. An early morning walk in the crispy cold air might do him good. He wore his clothes and his armour quickly, and headed out into the cold. The same cold wind from the night blew against his face, but it didn't sting this time.

Aimlessly, Jerrick wandered around the village. He expected to see a dragon or two roaming around, but to his surprise, and relief, there weren't any. They were probably kept in a pen for the night, he deduced. He felt immensely safer without any dragons roaming freely. Why did Berk even choose to live with dragons? Sure, they brought a lot of advantages, but there was the whole issue of dragons being fire-breathing reptiles. Fire and wood do not mix well, as Hiccup had told him. Hiccup also told him that eels and dragons do not mix well. There had to be a story behind these two conclusions. Maybe he would ask Hiccup for the story this day. It wouldn't help the mission, but it definitely sounded interesting.

Jerrick found himself subconsciously drifting towards the home of the man himself, Hiccup Haddock. He didn't plan to go there, but sure enough he found himself heading in that direction. Perhaps the grandeur of the Great Hall by the side of the house drew him in that direction. The large double doors of the Great Hall opened and Jerrick watched as the chief and the Berkian council entered the hall.

Suddenly, a speck in the brightening sky caught Jerrick's attention. Upon closer inspection, he realised that the speck was actually a Night Fury and its rider flying off into the distance. Hiccup was probably taking Toothless on a morning flight, just like how one would take a dog for a morning walk. Jerrick found it amusing that the most fearsome dragon in all of Midgard was just like a house pet.

As Jerrick watched Hiccup fly away, a thought sprang into his mind. The house was empty. It was a great opportunity. Hiccup would no doubt take a while to fly Toothless, and the council of Berk was in the Great Hall, which meant that something important was probably happening. There was a period of time where the house would be empty. He had to act fast.

He rushed straight to the front door of the house. It was still early in the morning, so hopefully there weren't any villagers who spotted him. Besides, it was still relatively dark outside, as most winter mornings were. That would help to cover him. Turning the knob, Jerrick entered the house and shut the door behind him. It took him a moment to realise that he was in the home of Hiccup Haddock, the heir of Berk.

And his father's assassin.

Jerrick took a deep breath and exhaled. If he wanted to find anything useful, this would be the place. The Haddock home would be where Hiccup's deepest secrets lay. Maybe he would find out why Hiccup wanted to kill his father. Maybe he wouldn't. What if Hiccup was simply a psychopath fuelled on by the love of killing, and not a terrorist trying to change the world? Jerrick looked up the staircase carved into a log in the wall of the house. Whatever Hiccup's true nature was, Jerrick figured he would find it in here, and he would begin by searching in the loft.

He took the stairs two at a time, and reached the gloomy loft slower than he would've liked. The loft was dim, illuminated only by a small candle that lay unattended on a night stand. A cold breeze blew into the loft from the open hatch, causing the flame of the candle to dance and papers to flutter. Weapons and contraptions of all shapes and sizes lay against the far wall. Some of them were even buried in the wooden wall. Right at the top of the staircase was a small night stand and a bed. The night stand was littered with drawings and sketches. Pinned against the back of the stand was a drawing of Toothless and a drawing of Astrid. There was another drawing of Hiccup and Astrid together pinned against the back too. Nothing of interest there, he decided.

Jerrick diverted his attention to the night stand. He tried not to touch any of the papers. Hiccup might notice if one of them was in a different place. Logically speaking, if Hiccup was working on any plans recently, it would lie right at the top. The papers at the bottom would have the least relevance to his plan. He examined the paper right on the top. It was a sketch of a device that Hiccup seemed to be inventing. The device was largely made up of a metallic cylinder, and the open end of the cylinder led to an intricately designed cap. The cap consisted of two metallic circles, as the sketch showed. The outer layer had holes around its circumference, but the inner layer didn't. A small gear was attached to the bottom of the outer layer, probably to allow the cap to turn. When the cap was turned, whatever was inside the container could be released, and it could be turned to close the cap again. Why would someone go through all the hassle of designing a new cap that could open and close? When he saw the sketch on the paper, something that was mentioned at the Great Hall the night before tickled the back of his mind, but he couldn't pinpoint what it was exactly. It had something to do with this invention though, he knew that for sure. Jerrick shoved it to the back of his mind. He would find the answers for that later. For now, he had to keep searching.

Jerrick moved the sketch aside, being careful not to touch the candle. The next paper was also a sketch. It seemed to be a face mask or something like that. It definitely matched the shape of a human face. If someone were to put this mask on, their eyes would be covered by a piece of 'amber glass', the sketch said. What this new material was Jerrick didn't know. He continued to look through the sketch. The nose piece was elongated outwards, and a thin piece of wet fabric would be placed in a slot within the elongated nose piece. Why was Hiccup designing a mask, and why was wet fabric so important?

Suddenly, a whistling sound rang from outside the house. Before Jerrick could register what it was, he heard a thud on the roof of the house. He froze. Hiccup was back. He had to hide. Urgent eyes darted around the room. Where could he hide? Jerrick scanned the room, and his eyes found a hiding spot. Without a second thought, he dived to the one hiding spot he found, and not a second too late too. He watched as Hiccup and Toothless entered the loft from the open hatch near the stone slab.

XX

Hiccup landed and removed his flight helmet, a smile etched on his face. Routine was something he did not enjoy, but he did say that morning flights were necessary. Without these morning flights, the Night Fury that sometimes acted more like a puppy than the fearsome creature it was would get restless and practically beg to go for a flight. He would act all sullen and gloomy for the rest of the day, until Hiccup took him for a flight. These flights also gave him a chance to bond with his dragon. Talking to him always gave him a sense of serenity and peacefulness, even if Toothless couldn't talk back to him.

"Good flying bud," Hiccup said to his dragon. Toothless warbled back happily. He jumped off Toothless onto the roof of his house and climbed into the loft through the hatch. Toothless jumped in through the other hatch directly onto his stone slab that doubled as a bed. The candle was still burning on the nightstand. He made a mental note to blow out the candles next time. Fire hazards weren't needed, especially with fire-breathing dragons living in the village. He blew out the candle, and in good time too, he thought. One of his sketches was getting too close to the flame. It was an important sketch too. Thankfully, it didn't burn.

Hiccup didn't hear the sound of his front door opening. He also didn't hear the sound of footsteps on the stairs that led to the loft. In fact, he was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't notice the person standing directly behind him. He was completely oblivious to his surroundings. That was why he found himself completely unprepared for…

Whack! A fist collided against his shoulder, and he drew a hand up to rub the offended part. Hiccup turned around quickly, only to look straight into the scowling gaze of Astrid.

"Where were you this morning?" She asked, placing her hands on her hips.

"I-I was taking Toothless for a flight…" Hiccup replied slowly. He rubbed his arm with his hand and looked away.

Astrid folded her hands in front of her and shifted her weight to another foot. "Did you completely forget about our date?"

Hiccup's eyes widened and he smiled sheepishly. "No, no, I didn't. I was just going… I just needed to… pack up my table." He braved a glance at Astrid. Her stance hadn't changed one bit, and she was still scowling. Hiccup sighed. "Alright, yes, I did. I'm sorry." Hiccup looked at the floor.

Astrid softened her stance and walked over to Hiccup. "It's not like you to be so forgetful."

"I know." Hiccup looked away.

Looking away was a typical Hiccup move when he had something to hide, and Astrid knew that. "Hiccup, are you okay?" Astrid asked. It was typical of Hiccup to hide his true feelings. If he wasn't pressed, he probably would never tell anyone how he really felt.

"I'm fine," Hiccup replied curtly.

"You know you can't hide your true feelings from me, Hiccup," Astrid pressed again.

Hiccup sighed. "This whole operation is worrying me," he admitted. "The last time we really went on the offensive, we failed. Other than that, every time we have merely been responding to whatever they were doing. I don't know, it's just…"

"Hiccup, it'll be fine," Astrid said. "Trust in yourself. We've pulled these missions off many times. You'll do great."

"I just have this feeling that something's going to go wrong," Hiccup continued.

"It won't," Astrid said. "Your plan is fine. Everything is going to be fine. Besides, we have a rehearsal later at the arena."

"I hope you're right," Hiccup said. Another bolt of pain shot through his arm, and immediately he knew that Astrid had punched him again. He yelped and rubbed his shoulder. "What was that for?" Hiccup asked indignantly.

"That's for always putting yourself down," Astrid said.

"I can't help worry-" Hiccup was interrupted by Astrid planting her lips onto his. He stayed frozen for a moment, and then melted into the kiss. They placed their hands around each other's necks and drew each other closer. When they parted reluctantly for air, Hiccup had a wide smile on his face.

"Hiccup," Astrid began. "I know you're worried and everything, but we're here with you. We trust that you'll do a good job. You have to trust yourself too."

"I know," Hiccup said. "Sometimes I can't avoid these feelings though."

"We're here for you when you feel down," Astrid replied. She smiled at him. Their gaze met, and their smiles widened before Hiccup pulled Astrid towards him and their lips connected again.

"I love you," Hiccup said breathlessly when they parted.

"I love you too," Astrid replied. Hiccup gazed into her beautiful azure blue eyes, a smile plastered on his face. Suddenly, his eyes jerked up at the sight of a black figure moving behind Astrid.

"Toothless?" Hiccup asked. "What are you doing?" The Night Fury simply ignored him. He continued to sniff the nightstand keenly. Hiccup gave Astrid a look, and walked over to the dragon. "What is it, bud?" Toothless turned to look at Hiccup and warbled curiously. At least, it sounded like a curious warble.

"I'll show it to you later," Hiccup said. Astrid walked up behind him, and his hand found hers. He turned to look at her, and he saw the familiar glint in her eyes. A smile grew on his face again. He kissed her again, and their eyes closed as the couple melted into the kiss. Hiccup pushed her back, and she yelped in a manner completely unlike her as she fell back onto the bed. She would never show this side of herself to anyone, except him. Hiccup dropped on top of her, propping himself up with his hands and knees.

"We're alone for a while," Hiccup whispered into her ear in a deep, husky voice. Astrid smiled back knowingly. They locked lips again, but they were interrupted by a sniffing sound beside them. Hiccup looked up to see his dragon sniffing the bed frame keenly. He poked his snout against the bed frame, as though he was trying to get underneath the bed.

"Toothless, what is it?" Hiccup asked, frowning his eyebrows. Toothless gave no indication that he heard him though. He kept on sniffing at the bed frame. Hiccup placed a hand on Toothless' snout, and the dragon finally looked up at him.

"Toothless, do you mind?" Hiccup asked, raising an eyebrow. "Can you leave us alone for a while?" The dragon shifted his eyes from Hiccup to the bed frame, and then back to Hiccup. Hiccup glared at his dragon, his green eyes narrowed in annoyance. He took one last glance at the bed frame, and then, with a huff, he dragged himself to the hatch and leapt out of the house. Hiccup and Astrid watched as the black tail vanished out of sight of the hatch.

"I don't know what's gotten into him," Hiccup said.

"We can find out," Astrid said. Hiccup grinned and turned back to Astrid.

"Later," Hiccup said. "Right now there's more important things," he growled into her ear. He swept the blonde hair out of her face and then moved his hand downwards. But Astrid had beaten him to it. The auburn boy whimpered as he felt Astrid's hand rub against his pants.

"Oh yes there is," Astrid said teasingly.

XX

Hiccup pulled up his pants over the hem of his tunic. He watched as Astrid did the same with her leggings. Her spiked skirt came up next, and then lastly the rest of her armour. Gods, she was so beautiful. He could watch her all day.

"Are you going to watch me all day, or are you going to finish dressing up?" Astrid said. "Your pants aren't even up all the way yet."

Hiccup glanced down, and a blush crept into his cheek. He hastily pulled up his pants and fastened his belt over the hem of his tunic. He grabbed his flight armour and wore it hastily as he went down the stairs. Astrid followed behind him, and together the two of them exited into the cold weather. The sound of Hiccup's voice calling "Toothless!" could be heard faintly through the wooden walls, and like a loyal puppy scampering to its master, the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself came scampering ever so faithfully to his rider from wherever he was waiting, leaving the house empty.

Except for Jerrick who had been hiding under the bed the whole time.

Jerrick braved a peek out from underneath the bed. The coast seemed clear. He grabbed on to the bed frame and wiggled out from the tight space. Something sharp pricked his right palm when he grabbed the bed frame. He hissed and cursed under his breath and moved his hand aside. The tip of a nail was jutting out of the bottom of the bed frame. How did that end up there? Jerrick shook his head. He pulled himself out from under the bed. When he was free, he stood up, dusted himself off and took a look around the room. He gagged a little when he fully realised what he had just sat through. All the moaning and groaning, the creaking of the bed… Jerrick looked away from the unholy bed. There was absolutely nothing that he could gain from looking at it, besides memories of… that. The loss of youthful innocence came quite early for him, he thought. He did gain some useful information from that… adventure, however. There would be a rehearsal this day at the arena, and Jerrick planned to attend it.

Jerrick still felt sick as he slipped out the hatch. He grabbed the edge of the small opening with both hands and pulled himself up. Swinging one leg over the hatch, Jerrick pulled his entire body onto the roof. Now he had to find a way down. Climbing down the large spikes at the front of Hiccup's house would be safer. But that was the problem, it was at the front of Hiccup's house. The entire village would be able to see him from there. Even from his current position, crouching low on the roof, it didn't completely hide him from the view of the villagers. He had to act fast. Jerrick looked at the grass below. It didn't seem so far away. He took a deep breath and pushed himself off the roof. Jerrick landed with a thud, and used both his hands to cushion his fall. As he stood up and dusted his hands off, he saw a small trail of blood leaking down his right hand. He wiped it on his pants and ran off. Taking cover behind the small knoll was more important than that. He could wash it off later. With a glance around him, Jerrick dashed behind the hill and ran away from the chief's house.

When he approached the main village path, he slowed to a walking pace. Acting suspicious was the easiest way to arouse suspicion. He had to pretend that he didn't hear about the rehearsal, and especially that he didn't hear… everything. He almost gagged again.

Finally, he entered the guest hut and removed his armour. He had to decide the best way to watch the rehearsal later. When was later, anyway? It could be happening right now for all he knew. He made up his mind. He would stay near the arena until the rehearsal began.


	8. Chapter 7: Under The Sea

**A/N:** Sorry, didn't manage to get that double upload out last week, I'll definitely put a double upload out this week! Thanks to all those who reviewed, your reviews really keep me going.

Enjoy some action at last!

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**Chapter 7: Under The Sea**

Jerrick Brandt was hungry.

He hadn't eaten all day. Having not known when the rehearsal would start, Jerrick had stayed near the arena the whole day. The grandstand surrounding the arena loomed tall and large over Jerrick, as it had been doing for basically the entire day. The setting sun cast a long shadow over the vegetation behind the grandstand. Jerrick didn't want to enter the grandstand before the rehearsal began, and so he had stayed near the trees for the entire day. They were the best of friends by now. Tree 1, Tree 2, and Tree 3. Jerrick could draw them by heart.

The sounds of dragons flying around the arena broke Jerrick out of his reverie. Finally, the rehearsal was about to begin. A whole day of waiting had finally ended in success. Waiting sucked, Jerrick decided firmly.

The sun began to dip under the horizon, casting an orange glow on everything in the village. Torches were being lit all around, making sure the Berkians were still able to see where they were going in the night. Jerrick found it tough to believe that Hiccup and Stoick could care so much for their own people, yet kill others in cold blood. But that's how terrorists work anyway. Jerrick didn't need to remind himself that Hiccup was a terrorist.

Jerrick moved towards the entrance of the grandstand as the sun went down further. The gate was locked. Jerrick cursed. He should have checked earlier. He had had a whole day to check, and instead he had spent it getting to know the trees better. What a waste of time. Knowing that Tree 3 was a bit of a problem child wouldn't help him figure out Hiccup's plan.

Jerrick hurried around the arena towards the main entrance. The path was slightly downslope, but nothing he couldn't handle. Cautiously, he glanced around the corner and took a peek at what the dragon riders were doing.

He didn't expect to see what he saw.

For one, there were way more dragon riders than normal. The total number in the arena was around fifteen. There were six extra dragons too. There were many other riders as well, some old, some young, some bald, and one even had a bucket on his head. Jerrick spotted Gobber among the group. The others that he didn't recognise were hovering in the air, carrying two large nets between them. The main dragon riders were on the ground, setting up the arena. They were carrying target boards to the centre of the arena and lining them up in one straight line. Why they weren't using their dragons to help them baffled Jerrick. Maybe they wanted to work out a little. Flying on a dragon all day probably had some bad side effects.

Jerrick continued to watch as the riders finished setting up the arena. The arena was split down the middle by the target boards. Hiccup handed something out to the main riders. Jerrick strained his eyes, but couldn't see what it was. They took it and placed it in their pockets. The whole group descended down onto the arena floor and began to head towards the edge of the arena. Jerrick shifted himself to the other side of the entrance to take a better look. They gathered around a clipboard and Hiccup began to talk while pointing at the clipboard. He was probably explaining the plan to the group. Jerrick wished that he could listen to what Hiccup was saying. All he had were random bits of information that didn't quite make sense yet. It was like trying to solve a puzzle without an idea of how the end would look like. Maybe in the future there would be an invention that would allow one to hear further than before. For now, all he could do was wait for the rehearsal to begin.

The sun had fully set within the time they were preparing, and the village was in darkness, lit only by the torches that stood on the lampposts. Briefly Jerrick wondered if torches were edible. The village looked exactly like the first time he saw it, except that there was light in the arena this time. The stone guardians didn't look any more welcoming from the back than they did from the front. They still stood eerily in the sea, deterring any would-be visitors from entering Berk's waters.

A sound from the arena caused Jerrick to turn back to the entrance. The group had dispersed, and they all mounted their dragons. The main riders stayed on the ground, while the extra riders took to the sky. Gobber was among the extras. Weirdly, a young kid, probably around the same age as himself, seemed to be leading the extra riders. The brown-haired teen pointed and shouted commands that faded into the wind too quickly for Jerrick to hear. Upon command, the extra riders picked up the large nets and took to the sky. Two dragons held one net by the front two corners, and they carried a total of two nets. The two extra riders that didn't carry any nets were Gobber and the young leader. He nodded to Hiccup, and Hiccup nodded back. The main riders were split into two groups. Hiccup was with Astrid and Fishlegs, while Snotlout was with the twins. The two groups went to both sides of the arena. Hiccup raised his hand, and when he dropped it, the rehearsal began.

Hiccup and Snotlout pulled out a small ball from their pockets. Together, they threw it on the ground in front of them and stayed where they were. A few seconds later, Astrid went past Hiccup while the twins flew past Snotlout. Astrid tossed a similar ball on the ground, whereas for the twins, one of the heads of the Zippleback opened its mouth, but nothing came out. Hiccup picked up the ball he threw while Fishlegs flew past him on a Gronckle. Its name was Meathead or Meatball or something along those lines, Jerrick couldn't remember. He did remember that it had a name just as atrocious as all the other Vikings on this island. Fishlegs did the same thing. He produced a small ball and tossed it in front of him. On the other side, Snotlout too picked up the ball, flew past the twins and tossed it in front of himself, just like what he did earlier. They seemed to be moving forward in a relay format. When one party moved forward and tossed the ball, the other would wait a while before doing likewise. After that, they would pick up their own ball and continue the pattern. The only exception was Ruff and Tuff on their Zippleback. Instead of throwing out a ball, their Zippleback would open one of its mouths. Jerrick couldn't comprehend why.

A twig suddenly cracked.

Jerrick whirled.

Reflexes kicking in, he ducked just in time to avoid being hit by the hilt of a sword. Using his crouched position, he quickly sprang up and launched his fist at his assailant. The man had equally fast reflexes though. He leaned backwards immediately and dodged Jerrick's attack. But he leaned back a little too far. Jerrick used this to his advantage. He sprang forward and threw more punches at the man, each punch coming immediately after the next. _The best form of defense is offense_, he recalled from his training in the academy. It proved to be true. The man eventually stumbled backwards and fell on the ground with a loud thump. That had to be audible from inside the arena. Without hesitation, Jerrick lashed out at the man's wrist. He yelped and the sword fell from his grip. Jerrick grabbed the sword and took off. Getting caught was not one of his goals. As he ran, he heard the man shouting "Hiccup!" His voice was quite high pitched, maybe it was a woman. He faintly heard Hiccup shouting back at him. His name, no, it's _her_ name, was Phlegma. The names just got better and better.

Where should he run to? The village was probably not the best place to run to. He could be easily spotted by someone riding on a dragon. Cover from the top was necessary. He turned to his right and ran into the jungle. The foliage brushed against his pants as he ran. There was probably an obvious track being created through the forest as he ran. Hopefully the darkness of the night would be enough to conceal it. Wing beats could be faintly heard in the distance. Jerrick ran faster. He turned left to avoid the thick shrubbery up ahead. Was it even possible to outrun a dragon? Probably not. He had to do something other than run. The sound of large wings pulling back the wind was even louder now. He had to do something now. A few thick bushes lay on the ground in front of him. Just a few more steps and he would be able to reach it.

But the flapping of wings sounded too close for that. Jerrick ducked behind the nearest tree. He kept his panting to a minimum and tried to remain as silent as possible. His heartbeat drummed in his ears. His nerves jangled. Would it be enough?

A Monstrous Nightmare flew past him.

Apparently it was enough. He stayed behind the tree. From what he saw in the arena, he knew that they worked in teams. There were probably a few more riders coming this way. He was right. A Nadder flew past him, followed by a Gronckle.

Jerrick waited for a few more precious seconds, and then he took a deep breath and began to run back the way he came. Stick to the shadows. Where there was moonlight, there was a gap in the canopy, and any airborne riders above the forest might be able to see him through the gaps. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a figure to his right. Whether it was coming towards him or simply flying past him he did not know, but he didn't care. He banked left. He hadn't run this way yet. Thankfully, there wasn't much foliage this way. Jerrick was panting hard now. Sweat dropped down his chin despite the cold weather. His heart pounded his rib cage mercilessly. He was beginning to lose feeling in his legs, but he kept driving them forward, one leg after another. He had to focus on where to run and drive his legs too.

The same figure that he caught out of the corner of his eye drifted back into view on his right. It had a silhouette of a Gronckle, but in the dark Jerrick couldn't be sure. The sound of flapping wings closing in behind him interrupted him. Jerrick darted left again. The foliage was even clearer here. In fact, it seemed to be thinning. The trees were clearing up as well. The path went downhill a little, thankfully. He sprinted down the hill, and his eyes widened.

The edge of a cliff.

Dead ahead.

Jerrick leaned back. He pedalled his legs backwards desperately. His heart leapt into his throat. He grabbed on to the grass with his hands and yanked it frantically, tearing patches from the soil. He was sliding down the hill now. He dug his heels into the soil. His thighs were burning. There was no way he was going to make it. He closed his eyes and prepared for the worst…

And came to a screeching halt right by the edge of the cliff. A few loose pebbles toppled off the edge of the cliff and plummeted to the choppy waters below. The sword he was carrying glinted in the moonlight as it tumbled to the sea below. The edge of his boot hung over the edge of the cliff. He was _that_ close to joining the pebbles in the sea. He backed off and collapsed onto the grass. A few precious seconds passed as Jerrick took a few deep breaths. His heart continued to beat faster than a dragon in distress.

Suddenly, the faint sound of flying dragons could be heard again. Jerrick swallowed. The sounds came from the forest. There were no trees anywhere near him. He was on a small grassy plain that could double up as a slide into the sea. He wouldn't have time to run to the forest by the side as well. With his legs wobbling like jelly he wouldn't make it there in time. He was like a sitting duck, completely open with nowhere to hide. Capture awaited him, coming closer and closer to him as the wingbeats became louder and louder. Jerrick gulped. No choice he made would save him from capture and possibly torture under the hands of Hiccup.

Except for one.

Jerrick glanced over the edge. The moonlight illuminated the cliff face and the sea directly below. It wasn't that high, around the height of six or seven fully grown Vikings. But it was still high enough to cause some injury. Or death. The sea directly below was frothy, which meant that there were rocks directly under him. Falling on rocks was a guaranteed death.

But, if he ran and jumped, he could reach the deeper waters. It wasn't that far. Jerrick took one last glance at the forest. The sound of wing beats was even louder now. There was no other choice.

Jerrick backed up a few steps, and hyperventilated for a second. He mentally prepared himself…

And sprinted. Jump too early, risk crashing on the rocks. Jump too late, risk slipping off the edge too. The edge was right ahead. Ten steps, eight, six, four, two…

Jerrick jumped into oblivion.

He dove headfirst into the water and held both his arms in a V-shape in front of him. All he could hear was his heart hammering away. Jerrick desperately wanted to close his eyes, but he held them open. At the last moment, he remembered to hold his breath. Jerrick braced himself.

Then the impact struck. Cold water slapped his hands and his face, and all the air rushed out of his lungs as the sea punched him in the ribs. Saltwater stabbed his eyes. He was blinded. He groped at the water, pulling himself to the surface. Where was up? Air. He needed air. His lungs were screaming. Jerrick swung his arms frantically in the water and kicked his legs. His body forced him to take a breath. Wrong move. His lungs burned as cold water rushed in. Jerrick coughed. Black spots danced around his vision. He opened his mouth to scream, but nothing came out. Memories flashed across his vision. He flailed his burning arms and legs, hoping for a miracle. He coughed again, and he feebly pulled upwards one more time, before the black claimed him. His arms and legs went limp, and he succumbed to the peaceful embrace of unconsciousness.

High above him, a blue creature that had been following him through the forest dived into the water. Barely a splash was heard as the creature entered the water, despite its large size. His eyes darted back and forth and his head snapped around the water wildly. Finally, he stopped looking around, and his gaze locked onto his target. He paddled his four stumpy legs and swung his tail as he swam towards the unconscious boy, and grabbed him in his mouth, being very careful not to bite down too hard. He continued swimming through the cold water. Eventually, when his lungs threatened to give way, he surfaced and began to fly just above the water surface. He looked behind him and saw many other dragons and Vikings searching for something at the cliff edge. He kept flying low around the island, and soon he was out of sight of the other dragons and Vikings.

And so was the boy clasped in his jaws.


	9. Chapter 8: Rockcrusher

**Chapter 8: Rockcrusher**

Jerrick awoke to a fit of coughing. Water spluttered from his dry and sandy mouth. He rolled onto his side and groaned. His head throbbed and his whole body ached. Cold. He felt cold too. His damp clothes clung tightly to his body. Shivers racked through his body and his teeth chattered. It was so loud it could probably be heard from the village of Berk.

Berk.

Where was he? Jerrick pushed himself up into a sitting position with a lot of effort. His arms were too weak and cold though, and he slumped back on the ground before he could even lift himself off. He curled himself up into a ball and glanced around him. Trees loomed high in front of him. He was probably somewhere in the forest. How did he end up here? Last thing he remembered was running through the forest, trying to avoid the dragon riders. Which way had he turned to end up here? Left or right, or…

The events flashed before his mind like a falling deck of cards. The feeling of cold water slamming against him. Darkness enveloping him from all sides. His lungs burning from the cold water rushing in. The salt in his eyes. Jerrick almost drowned. Or maybe he did drown. Maybe this was Valhalla. He doubted it. It was much too cold to be Valhalla. He clutched his legs against his chest even tighter. It was way too cold to be Helheim too. Jerrick decided that he was somehow alive and kicking. How did he end up here?

A wet, floppy sound came from behind him, like a bunch of wet fish were dropped on the ground at the same time. Immediately, Jerrick felt heat radiate from behind him. He rolled around to face the source of the warmth.

And let out a strangled gasp immediately.

There was a dragon. Right in front of him. A Gronckle. Staring at him. Jerrick tried to back up, but couldn't. He was rooted to the spot. Whether it was the cold or his fear he didn't know. He simply stared back at the Gronckle. A lump formed in his throat, preventing him from swallowing his saliva. Maybe it was his heart that was choking him. Jerrick prepared himself for the worst.

But the Gronckle still hadn't attacked him. In fact, its tongue was hanging out of its mouth and it was wagging its tail, like a puppy greeting his master after not seeing him for a long time. Jerrick suddenly noticed that there was a small pile of lava in front of him that was giving him warmth. He hadn't noticed it before. Did that dragon spit out the lava for him? Jerrick knew that Gronckles were able to spit out lava. Maybe it was friendly after all. One way to find out. Slowly, Jerrick stretched out his frozen limbs and dragged himself closer to the lava. He savoured the warmth on his numb face, and slowly the senses returned to his face. The warmth flowed through his body like delicious, sweetened honey. Heat had never felt so good before. His teeth stopped chattering too. He took a deep breath of the warm air, and sighed when he felt the warmth radiate through his lungs. Jerrick kept an eye on the dragon the whole time, but all it did was watch him curiously the whole time. Well, he hoped it was a curious look. It could be hungry. Maybe it was warming up its food.

A few minutes beside the small mound of lava did wonders to Jerrick. He could feel his fingers and toes for the first time since waking up. Using a hand that wasn't completely frozen, he propped himself up into a sitting position and looked at the dragon. The Gronckle came closer to him, and there was finally enough light for Jerrick to see that it was blue.

Something in his mind clicked, and he put two and two together. Was it the same blue Gronckle from his first day in the village? Why was he following him? He should be thankful the Gronckle hadn't eaten him. A thought struck him all of a sudden. Did the Gronckle save him? There was no way he could have swam out while unconscious. It was possible that the dragon riders found him. But even then, he wouldn't be in the middle of the forest, lying beside a Gronckle. He would probably be imprisoned somewhere.

Jerrick looked into the Gronckle's eyes. He didn't know why he did so. It just felt right. The Gronckle didn't swallow him up. It looked back at him with widened pupils. Were its eyes smiling? When their eyes met, its rock-like tail began to wag and its tongue hung out of its mouth, like a little puppy. He remembered that it did the exact same thing when he first awoke. Perhaps it was waiting for him to do something. Would talking to it be the right thing to do? The dragon riders talked to their dragons. Then again, they have been with their dragons for a few years. They were probably trained to understand commands. Would this Gronckle understand him? You'll never know until you try.

"Hey there," Jerrick said. His voice was raspy, and his throat stung as he spoke. When was the last time he had drank water? He coughed a few times. "How are you?"

Jerrick backed off in fear as the Gronckle leapt in the air a little. The Gronckle looked sheepish, or maybe it was just his imagination. Either way, the Gronckle didn't jump again. It simply continued to wag its tail. That was a good sign, probably.

"Do you understand me?" Jerrick asked. It was such a stupid question. He used to snicker at the shepherds who talked to their sheep for hours on end. Guess who was laughing now.

The Gronckle kept wagging its tail. Maybe it hadn't understood him. Maybe he had given dragons more credit than they were due.

"I don't know if that's a yes or a no," Jerrick tried again. "If you understand me, close your mouth."

The Gronckle did just that. Jerrick stared in awe. It was probably just a coincidence, a fluke chance that the dragon happened to close its mouth just as Jerrick said that.

"Open your mouth," Jerrick tried again. The Gronckle complied. The dragon actually understood him! Jerrick drew a deep breath. Was it still a coincidence, he wondered to himself. Wouldn't hurt to try again.

"Lie down," Jerrick said. The dragon moved its four stumpy legs outwards, and flopped onto the floor, its large belly crushing anything below it. He imagined a poor ant screaming as it was crushed by the dragon. A few rocks must have been crushed too.

"Rockcrusher," Jerrick suddenly blurted out. Where did that come from? The Gronckle stood up and wagged its tail again. It seemed to like that. "Hey there, Rockcrusher," Jerrick said. His knees crackled and popped as he stood up. He walked around the lava towards the Gronckle. Rockcrusher. The dragon backed off and stayed low. Jerrick hesitated.

"I won't hurt you," Jerrick said. "You saved my life. I wouldn't think of hurting you." Rockcrusher stood at its full height, but still kept a distance from Jerrick. Warily, Jerrick took another step forward and held out a hand. Rockcrusher took another step backwards. "It's okay," Jerrick said, removing his hand. "I'm a friend." He knelt down and stayed still, making himself smaller and hopefully appear less threatening to the dragon. It worked with dogs. Did dragons think the same way?

Apparently so. Rockcrusher took a step towards him. Jerrick raised his hands again, stretching his palms outwards the same way a parent would welcome their child. The dragon glanced at his hand, and then looked back into his eyes. Jerrick gave him a smile, but Rockcrusher's eyes still kept flicking between Jerrick's palms and his eyes. Did it think he was still a threat? Jerrick closed his eyes and dipped his head. Maybe now it wouldn't think so. Hopefully Rockcrusher would trust him now.

He inhaled sharply as he felt warm, scaly skin press against his palms. He looked back up and looked straight into Rockcrusher's face. Both his palms were resting on the bottom of its large jaw. Rockcrusher had its tongue hanging out again, and it was wagging its tail.

"Hey boy," Jerrick said. He paused for a moment. "Or are you a girl?" Rockcrusher drooped its tail. That probably meant no. "Boy?" Jerrick tried again. Rockcrusher started wagging his tail again. Jerrick stood up and placed a palm on the side of Rockcrusher's head. Rockcrusher looked at him, wagging his tail. "Thanks for saving me just now," Jerrick said. He owed his life to this dragon. The dragon did a small leap again. Jerrick smiled.

A cold wind blew against his face, and Jerrick suddenly recalled the situation he was in. He looked around at the numerous trees looming tall and large around him. The warmth of the lava had faded out a while ago, but he hadn't noticed it until now. That small mound of lava that Rockcrusher made had managed to warm him up and dry his clothes too. But he was still in the middle of nowhere. Unless…

He turned to look at Rockcrusher. The dragon riders did it anyway, could he do the same? "Hey boy," Jerrick said. Rockcrusher perked up. "Do you know the way back to Berk?" He wagged his tail. "Great," Jerrick said. Now came the tough part. "Could I… ride you back?" Rockcrusher pulled his tongue back into his mouth. His tail stopped wagging, but it didn't droop. "It wouldn't be that bad," Jerrick tried to reassure him. "I'm not that heavy." Rockcrusher looked at him for a while more. Jerrick could hear his own breath. What if he said no and flew away?

Eventually, Rockcrusher turned to face his side to Jerrick and leaned on one side. An invitation to climb on. Jerrick let out a soft sigh of relief and a smile crept onto his face. At that moment, he froze. He was going to ride a dragon. Alone. He took a deep breath. There was nothing to fear. He had done this before. But Scarface has been there in case anything went wrong. Stop thinking, the more he thought about it, the less likely he'll get on. Rockcrusher still stood there, leaning on one side and waiting for Jerrick. He swung one leg over Rockcrusher's large body, and pulled himself up so that his weight was in the middle of Rockcrusher. Rockcrusher stood straight, and Jerrick rebalanced himself for a moment. He glanced around at the solid floor one more time.

"Alright, let's go," he said. Jerrick could feel Rockcrusher's powerful muscles preparing to push him into the air. He took a deep breath.

And muffled a scream as Rockcrusher took to the air. He leaned forward and pressed his chest into Rockcrusher's body. His fingers crawled desperately around Rockcrusher's neck. Breathing became hard. Hyperventilating was not the right option. Calm down. He was hanging on. He was fine. Rockcrusher was carrying him just fine.

Slowly, he pushed himself back into a sitting position and looked around. When he saw the scene below him, his mouth hung open in awe. He had seen this before on the back of another dragon, but he never appreciated it. His mind was too preoccupied.

But now, flying freely on Rockcrusher on his own, everything seemed different. Jerrick would never forget the way the sea sparkled as the moonlight danced off the surface of the water, the way the moonlight bathed the surface of the trees, creating a comfortable patch of green. Even the light in the village had a warm, inviting glow to it. Everything looked so different. The evil aura was gone.

"That way, boy," Jerrick pointed at the guest hut. Rockcrusher obliged and flew in the direction where he pointed. They had flown off the island of Berk, and were now over the sea. The moon was directly in front of them, watching over the whole world through the black dots on its semicircular face.

As they approached the guest hut however, Jerrick could see that something was off. There were a few dragons around the hut, and their riders were on the ground, moving their hands around animatedly like flames dancing in the wind. They probably were in the middle of an intense discussion, and Jerrick wanted no part in that. He directed Rockcrusher towards the Great Hall. Rockcrusher flew low, his stumpy feet brushing against the top of the trees below. Jerrick stayed as low as he could on Rockcrusher. If they happened to look at him, hopefully they would only see a dragon flying, not a rider on the dragon.

Rockcrusher flew behind the Great Hall and landed. They were out of sight from the main village, at least. How Jerrick could get back to his guest hut was another thing.

"Go and hide in the forest, Rockcrusher," Jerrick said. Rockcrusher gave him a doubtful look. "If they see you with me, they might think something is up," Jerrick explained. Rockcrusher still looked at him with the same look. "Go," Jerrick said, a tone of urgency creeping into his voice. Rockcrusher finally obeyed, taking off and disappearing into the forest. Jerrick took a deep breath and walked into the open. They wouldn't see him from the guest hut yet, but in a few moments they would. What would he tell them? He went to get food again? They may have been in the Great Hall during the time when he was unconscious. How long was he unconscious? The moon was a quarter of the way up in the night sky. When the chase began, the moon had just risen over the horizon, so that meant he was out for nearly a quarter of the night. He needed to find an explanation that fit that timeframe.

He didn't have much time to think, however, because a few seconds later, the ice demon that happened to have the body of a blonde girl came hurtling towards him on her Nadder. Stay calm, and look as normal as possible, Jerrick told himself. The Nadder landed in front of him. Jerrick jerked back. The ice demon dismounted and glared at him with all the evil in the world. She held an axe in her hand and stood in a combat pose, feet evenly spread.

"Where were you?" She demanded.

"I-I was walking a-around the village," Jerrick stuttered. He didn't need to pretend to stutter. She was terrifying.

"Why were you out at this time?" She demanded again.

"I had a-a lot on my mind," Jerrick lied.

"Like what?" There was the sound of fire crackling from the torch behind her. It seemed to accurately reflect her words, a crackling fire waiting to burn whatever stood in its way.

Jerrick was prepared to come up with something, when a black Night Fury landing behind the ice demon interrupted him. Hiccup quickly dismounted off Toothless and pushed her back.

"Astrid, lay it off," he said sternly.

"Why should I Hiccup?" Astrid said, whirling around to face him.

"I told you just now," Hiccup said back.

"Even after we found this?" Astrid pulled out a medallion from her pocket. Jerrick recognised it immediately. It was the Nadder medallion that he had purchased at the Northern Markets. He knew there was no point denying it. They knew it was his somehow.

"That's mine," Jerrick interrupted. Astrid whipped her head around to face him so quickly that her head could have easily flown off her neck. The other riders landed behind her, seemingly avoiding her gaze that rained fire on anything that happened to be in its path.

"Would you like to explain why we found this near the arena?" Astrid demanded, shaking herself from Hiccup's grip and taking a few steps towards him.

"I was walking around the village," Jerrick replied.

"At the arena?" She asked.

"I passed by that place."

"Why did you go there?"

"Because I have legs. I can move around."

"Don't play games with me! You know what I'm asking."

Suddenly, Jerrick felt anger well up within him. Gone was the fear of having to deal with this irrational, crazed woman. Why couldn't he walk around the village? He wasn't a prisoner. He was simply a shipwrecked boy waiting for means to travel back home.

"Why can't I be near the arena?" He shot back. "Why can't I walk around the village? Am I a prisoner?"

Astrid's glare hardened. Jerrick's glare hardened too. He might be only fourteen years old, but he wasn't going to back down from this.

"Astrid, that's enough," Hiccup's strong voice called out. She glared at Hiccup. Hiccup didn't budge. The frown on his face added five years to his age.

Suddenly, Astrid let out a yell. She flung the medallion at Hiccup and stormed off. Hiccup fumbled with it for a second, but he caught it. "Come on Stormfly," she called to her Nadder. The Nadder squawked and trotted off after her. Jerrick glared at her until she disappeared from her sight.

Jerrick met Hiccup's apologetic eyes. His face had softened, and his eyes looked at Jerrick with concern. "Sorry about that," he said.

"I hate her guts," Jerrick muttered. Hiccup sighed.

"I believe this is yours," he said, holding out the medallion. Jerrick held out his hand underneath the medallion, and Hiccup released it. He pocketed the medallion quickly. "You should go back to the hut," Hiccup suggested. Jerrick nodded, and began to head to his hut. He opened the door and entered into the warmth.

When the door closed, Hiccup gave a signal, and the dragon riders mounted their dragons and prepared to go home. It had been a long day. From the start of the day, they had been fine tuning the plan, making final preparations in the forge - well, at least _he_ was in the forge. Where the others were during that time he had no idea. Then came the rehearsal, and finally the chase for the intruder that yielded nothing. He frowned when he thought about that. It definitely annoyed him that Phlegma had been attacked and they couldn't find out who it was. But what annoyed him more was that there was nothing they could do about it. Almost all the evidence was gone. The dragons hadn't been able to pick up the scent after they reached the cliff. He sighed. He was prepared to go back and take a much needed rest. Tomorrow gave nothing but the promise of working in the forge again.

Hiccup landed in front of his house and dismounted Toothless. Together, the two of them climbed up the stairs to the loft. Wearily, he began to peel off his armour. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Toothless nosing his bed frame. That's when he remembered. Toothless was concerned about something in the morning. He had been too busy with Astrid to take any notice. Better late than never.

"Toothless," Hiccup said. "What is it?" The black dragon glanced at Hiccup, and then fixed his eyes on the bed frame. He sniffed the wooden frame, and immediately he let out a low growl and his eyes turned into slits. There had to be something amiss. Toothless wouldn't act like this if there wasn't. Hiccup picked up the candle and kneeled beside Toothless. He looked at the exact spot Toothless had looked at. What was it? There wasn't anything unusual about the bed. Maybe Sharpshot had been here.

Suddenly, Hiccup saw it. If Toothless hadn't acted strangely, he would never have seen it. It was no larger than a tiny spot. There was a tiny, crimson red spot on the wooden bed frame. It almost blended in perfectly with the colour of the wooden frame. Why was there a small spot of blood on his bed frame? It was quite fresh too, no older than a day. As he was still wondering how the blood spot appeared there, he spotted Toothless sniffing the wall near the hatch. He held the candle up to the hatch and squinted. It took no longer than three seconds for his eyes to widen. There was another spot of blood on the wall, but it was slightly larger than the previous one.

"What is happening over here?" He wondered aloud. Toothless glanced over to Hiccup, and leapt out of the hatch. Hiccup followed him out onto the roof. The clouds covered the moon, casting a shadow over the land, as if the mystery he was facing wasn't shadowy enough. Toothless eyed a spot on the roof, and Hiccup knew what to expect. Sure enough, there was another spot of blood. Who had bled on his bed frame, his wall, and his roof? It wasn't him, that much was certain. But then, who? He scratched his head. He was tempted to find out who it was, but it could be anyone. Why would anyone enter his house? There wasn't a single Berkian that Hiccup didn't trust. Besides, no Berkian would've entered his house without his permission. Even with permission, they wouldn't normally enter unless there was an emergency. So who could it be?

"Come on Toothless," he sighed. "Our work's not done for the night."

XX

It had taken exactly sixteen minutes for all the riders to gather in the Great Hall. It could have taken five, but the twins had decided that moaning was more effective than dressing up, and they ended up taking an additional ten minutes to get to the hall. Hiccup met Astrid's glare at the end of the table. He forced himself to look away. Apologising could be done later.

"The reason why I gathered all of you so suddenly is because…" Hiccup was interrupted by the twins.

"You're turning into a dragon!" Ruff shouted. Hiccup couldn't believe it.

"No, guys, I'm not turning into a dragon," Hiccup said. "I gathered all of you because…"

"You're turning _us_ into a dragon," Tuff said, putting his hands on his face and letting out a groan. "How could you, H? I always knew you would do something like this."

"I'm not turning you into a… wait, what do you mean you knew I would do something like this?" Hiccup asked.

Astrid slammed her axe on the table. "Get to the point, Hiccup." She said, stern blue eyes piercing the soul of its target.

"The reason I called you guys is because I found blood stains on my bed frame," Hiccup said.

"Big deal," Snotlout shot back.

"It wasn't there before," Hiccup said exasperatedly.

"You bled at night, and the blood landed on your bed," Snotlout replied in a mocking voice. "That doesn't mean you have to call us all to a meeting at night!" He flung his arms out at the last word.

"That's not what happened, Snotlout," Hiccup said timelessly. "The blood isn't mine."

"Then who's blood is that?" Snotlout asked in a high pitched voice.

"That's why I called you here," Hiccup replied, sighing. "We need to figure out who's blood is that, because whoever that person is would have seen the plans for the operation."

"Why don't we just ask Toothless to follow the scent?" Fishlegs asked.

"He lost it," Hiccup replied. "The scent led to the bottom of my house and disappeared."

"Maybe it was a ghost!" Tuff shouted.

"Or maybe a troll!" Ruff added.

"Or maybe-"

"Maybe it was your blood after I chop off your annoying heads!" Snotlout yelled.

"Could you two muttonheads focus for once?" Astrid said sternly. There was a brief silence as the twins gazed emptily at Astrid. Finally, Tuffnut broke the silence with a sigh.

"Alright sis," he said. "Let us behave like normal people. Who do you think caused the bloodstain?"

"I don't know, dear brother," Ruff replied in that annoying, pretentious voice they used occasionally. "But if I had to guess, it would be Brandt."

"No way," Tuff said in the same annoying voice. "Brandt, the shipwrecked boy?"

"Obviously," Ruff said. "Who else could it be?"

"Guys," Hiccup interjected. "Can we leave him out of this? I don't think he's the one."

"Oh really," Tuff shot back, hands on his hips. "Then what do you make of the scab on his palm?"

"When did you see that?" Fishlegs asked.

"When Hiccup held the medallion out for him to take," Tuff said in a matter-of-fact voice. "He held out his palm like this." Tuffnut stretched his arm out, palm upturned, facing the sky.

"And we found the medallion near the arena…" Hiccup wondered out loud.

"And all the mud stains on his clothes," Ruff added.

"Not to mention the engraving at the back of his breastplate too," Tuff added.

"What engraving?" Hiccup asked.

"The engraving on the faded leather piece on the back of his armour," Tuff said, rolling his eyes.

"It says JT Brandt," Ruff said.

"Gobber told me his middle name is Jerrick," Hiccup said in a tone that clearly showed he didn't understand the twins.

"Who writes their name like this?" Tuff explained. "Would you engrave your name as HH Hiccup? Or IH Astrid? Or JI Fishlegs? Or-"

"Yeah we get the point," Snotlout said quickly. "For once, I agree with these muttonheads. Who puts their middle name first?"

"What's wrong with writing your name backwards?" Hiccup asked.

"It's not backwards - at least, I don't think it is," Snotlout explained exasperatedly. "Jerrick T - whatever T stands for - is his first two names. Brandt is his last name. Do I have to explain everything to you?"

"He lied to us," Fishlegs said, connecting the dots. "Why would a shipwrecked boy lie to us?"

"Exactly, Fishlegs," Tuffnut said, slamming the table. "Why would a shipwrecked boy lie to us? Unless…"

"He's not actually shipwrecked," Ruffnut finished. "He's a spy."

"Or a killer," Tuffnut added. "A killer who's target is Hiccup. Why else would he be in H's house?"

Hiccup leaned forward on the table and gazed emptily at the back of the hall. His mind raced with various thoughts, many of which were implanted by the twins and Snotlout. Who knew they had it in them? In the background, the flames of the torches hung on the pillars of the Great Hall cackled. Eerie shadows jumped around on the floor as the flames danced on the top of the torch. A single word escaped Hiccup's mouth, "Brandt." It was no louder than a soft whisper, and it was definitely the softest word uttered in the hall that night, but it carried more malice than any of the other words. Even when Snotlout corrected him with "Jerrick", the hard green gaze remained focused.

"Now do you believe me, Hiccup?" Astrid shot. Hiccup still didn't reply. His eyes were far away.

"If he is what you think he is," Hiccup said dryly. He paused. "Then we better test it out."

"What do you mean?" Fishlegs asked with a soft squeak in his voice. Hiccup turned and leaned forward on the table. His auburn fringe cast a shadow over his eyes. A torch crackled in the background, causing the shadow to dance slowly. The tightly pursed lips that were curved downwards slightly gave him a deadly look. His eyebrows pushed themselves into a frown, and his emerald eyes hardened.

"If we want to find out the truth about Jerrick, we need to test him," Hiccup explained. He looked at all the riders with his stern, dead-set look.

"Tomorrow, we will put Jerrick to the test."


	10. Chapter 9: Fighting With Fire

**A/N:** No replies to reviews this chapter, it was preuploaded a week ago.

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**Chapter 9: Fighting With Fire**

Warm air blasted against Jerrick's face as he entered the Great Hall. A few heads turned to look at him as he entered. He paid them no mind as he walked to the front to collect some food. Low murmurs could be heard from every table. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a few people glance at him as he walked past them. Jerrick shrugged it off. It was probably just his paranoid mind playing tricks on him. They didn't know what happened last night.

He continued to shrug off the feeling of eyes boring into his back as he walked to the front of the hall. Jerrick felt his heart pound viciously in his chest. The walk felt longer than normal. He collected his food and went to find the dragon riders.

Jerrick heaved a sigh of relief when he saw that Astrid wasn't with the riders. He took a seat beside them and began to eat. The table was silent before he arrived, and the awkward silence persisted after he sat down. There was something wrong with the way the riders were acting. One of them would glance at the other, and then immediately drop their heads back down. Snotlout was the only one who acted as though nothing was wrong.

"What happened last night?" Jerrick asked, shattering the silence. It wasn't a question that would seem out of the ordinary, especially after Astrid's interrogation.

"Nothing," Fishlegs squealed. "Nothing at all."

"Why was Astrid so angry when she found my medallion near the arena?" Jerrick pressed innocently. His eyes bore straight into Fishlegs'. The husky boy shifted his eyes from side to side, trying to find reprise from the pillars around him.

"Someone attacked Phlegma," Snotlout said. Jerrick saw Fishlegs heave a sigh of relief. "Astrid was upset that we couldn't find who it was."

"Where's Astrid now?" Jerrick asked. "And Hiccup?"

"Hiccup's planning at the cove," Snotlout said calmly. "Mentioned something about wanting peace and quiet and told us clearly to stay away from him for the next few hours. Astrid's upset with Hiccup and is purposely staying away from him." Jerrick forced himself to keep calm. Hiccup was alone! Toothless was probably guarding him, but he had dragon nip anyway. This was the chance he had been waiting for!

"I see," Jerrick said tonelessly. Was his tone too dry? Hopefully not. Snotlout straightened up and flexed his biceps.

"Maybe she'll break up with that twig and go out with a real Viking now," he kissed his biceps. Jerrick grimaced.

"Yeah, I'm gonna leave after seeing that." Jerrick said. He picked up his bowl and forced himself not to hurry. Walking slowly had never felt so difficult. He passed his bowl to one of the many Berkians taking charge of the hall. The man's eyes seemed to examine him for a moment, or maybe it was his imagination.

Jerrick left the warmth of the hall and burst into the open. Even though the temperature was cold, Jerrick was sweating, and it felt cold against his forehead. The scab on his palm itched. Where was the cove? Jerrick scratched his palm as he pulled an image of the map into his mind. Mentally, he plotted a path to the cove as he walked. It wouldn't take too long to reach the cove. But he didn't have a weapon. Where could he get one? The forge has weapons. But how would he steal one? There had to be a better option. Suddenly, a thought struck him. The other riders weren't carrying weapons with them in the hall. Their weapons should be in their homes. Which one would be the best? Snotlout was strong and beefy, so his sword might not have the best weight balance for himself. Fishlegs was so peaceful that Jerrick wondered if he had a weapon at all. Tuffnut carried a mace, and that wasn't what he wanted. That left Ruffnut. Jerrick remembered briefly seeing her wield a sword during the rehearsal. Given her size and strength, she would probably have the most optimal sword.

Jerrick walked into the village centre, strides slow. If anyone had seen him, they wouldn't have suspected a thing. There was nothing abnormal about the way he was walking. It was just a casual stroll. He made for the Thorston house. It wasn't difficult to identify which one it was. All he had to do was search for one which had a small chicken coop on the outside. Who knew all the twins' rambling in the Great Hall would come in handy? Before long, Jerrick spotted it. The noticeable telltale signs that it was the Thorston home was littered all over the place, the chicken coop by the side, small burn marks on the walls, singed grass, burnt flowers - the twins played with fire way too much. The house was a simple one. It had the same overturned ship design as all the other houses, but it was noticeably smaller than Hiccup's, which didn't come as a big surprise.

Jerrick strode up to the door confidently. He knocked a few times and waited for a response. When none came, he opened the door and peeked into the house. It seemed empty. But looks can be deceiving. He didn't want to stay there longer than he had to. On his right, various types of weapons hung on a wall, swords, maces, axes, even a crossbow. He grabbed a sword and swung it around a few times. The weight and balance felt good. He sheathed it behind his back. The crossbow still hung there, as though begging him to take it. When would a crossbow come in handy? It might help to take down Toothless, but Toothless would probably kill him before he could bat an eye. He glanced at the crossbow again. Shrugging, he grabbed an arrow and loaded the crossbow. There was no way he was going to be able to hide the crossbow. He would have to simply dash to the forest and hope he wasn't spotted.

Jerrick stuck his head out of the door. The coast looked clear. He pulled open the door and ran onto the path. The sound of his footsteps beating the path seemed to mimic his heartbeat. When he came closer to the centre of the village, Jerrick darted between two houses, off the main path. He ran along the back of the houses. His lungs and heart worked doubly hard to make sure he ran fast. The start of the forest was in sight now, but it still felt like a long way away. Should he head straight to the cove or should he get the rest of the gang? In the daylight, it wouldn't take too long to get to them. On the other hand, it would still take quite a while, and he didn't know how long Hiccup would be at the cove.

Suddenly, he heard voices. Jerrick jumped between two houses and pressed his back against the cold wooden wall. The voices grew louder and were approaching his left. A barrel stood by his side against the wall of the house. It was quite short and thin, but he didn't have a choice. He lay flat against the ground. Jerrick held his breath as the voices came closer.

"...think he's gone?" Snotlout said.

"Most likely," Fishlegs could be heard replying. "Hiccup is usually right." The crunch of gravel grew louder and louder.

Tuffnut groaned. "Why does Hiccup always do everything alone?" Gravel crunched directly in front of the barrel. Did they see him?

"We should still hurry up and get to him," Fishlegs said. The crunching gravel began to move further away from him.

"Do you really think we…" Jerrick couldn't hear any more. The wind carried Snotlout's voice far away from his ears.

But Jerrick had heard enough. In a split second, Jerrick understood what they meant. Hiccup might have left to take on Scarface on his own. Jerrick made up his mind. Time was no longer his friend. He pushed himself up and bolted into the forest. He would have to go alone.

A short while later, the cove was in sight. Jerrick lay down on his belly and took a cautious peek over the side. Thankfully, Hiccup was still around, perched on a stone. His back was facing Jerrick, and he hadn't heard him come. But a small niggling at the back of Jerrick's head told him something wasn't right. What was amiss? Jerrick couldn't tell. He desperately wanted to hurry, but he held back. His senses were usually right, and he trusted them. Going in without figuring out what was wrong would be bad. But Hiccup might leave any time…

The realisation hit him.

Where was Toothless? The Night Fury was nowhere to be seen. Maybe that's why everyone said it was the most elusive dragon. Hiccup couldn't leave if he didn't have his dragon. Goosebumps formed on Jerrick's skin. Something about this whole scenario felt wrong, and Toothless not being near Hiccup just made it worse. Jerrick took shallow breaths, afraid that the sound of his deep breathing would pierce the still silence in the air. The air was palpable, thick enough to slice with his sword. Inch by inch, Jerrick moved his right hand to grab and release the hilt of his sword. The hilt felt cold. Jerrick slid to the right a little. The grass tickled his pants. He felt the dragon nip crunch in his left pocket. Would the dragon nip work if it was crushed? Slowly, he moved his left hand into his pocket. It felt fine. Hopefully. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead. The cold wind blew against him, rustling the grass around him. His heart pounded in his ears. Why was he so nervous?

The answer came as a sound. It was very soft, in fact, if Jerrick hadn't been on such high alert, he would have missed it completely. The grass rustled just slightly louder behind him on his left side. In one swift move, Jerrick rolled onto his back and stood up, at the same time he pulled out his sword from its sheath.

Then his breath caught in his throat. A pair of slitted green eyes and a row of white teeth greeted him.

Toothless.

And the Night Fury was not happy.

Toothless had his teeth bared menacingly at Jerrick. His back was arched and he kept his head close to the ground. Jerrick didn't know much about dragons, but it didn't take a genius to know that _that_ was not a friendly posture. Deep growls reverberated from Toothless' throat. Jerrick held his ground. Toothless might eat him, but he wouldn't go down without a fight.

"Brandt!" Hiccup's voice called from the forest. Jerrick glanced at him. Hiccup was facing him, hands on his hips. His cold green eyes frowned at him, and his lips were pursed. "Or should I call you Jerrick?" Jerrick snarled. When did he figure it out?

"Come down here and let's settle this," Hiccup continued in a cool voice.

"What if I say no?" Jerrick hollered back.

"Then I'll ask him to bring you down here," Hiccup pointed his chin at Toothless. The Night Fury was still growling at him, baring a whole row of razor sharp teeth. Jerrick was caught between a rock and a hard place, except that the rock was a snarling dragon. If he didn't go down, Toothless would bring him down. If he went down on his own, Hiccup and Toothless would corner him. Jerrick realised that if he wanted to get out of here, he would have to take one of them out first. And to do that, all he had to do was fight against fire.

"I'm waiting," Hiccup called. Jerrick's mind took a split second to make a decision.

"I'm coming," Jerrick said. He sheathed his sword and placed both hands in his pockets. Hiccup pointed towards his right, probably towards the entrance to the cove. Jerrick walked slowly, deliberately being very careful in his steps. He heard the shuffling of the undergrowth behind him. Toothless was closer to him, he knew that. It was a sixth sense he had developed through his years of training, an ability to know how close another person is to himself. How was he able to tell? Jerrick had no idea. It was simply his subconscious talking to him. But in this case, Jerrick could feel the warm breath of the dragon on the back of his cold legs. His heart raced. Jerrick was prepared to strike, it was only a matter of finding the right time. And he knew exactly when the right time was. The entrance to the cove was just a few more steps away. He stepped over another tree root slowly, deliberately touching Toothless' snout with his heel. While it seems like a dumb move to purposely antagonise a dragon, it served a different purpose. Now Jerrick knew how far away Toothless was from him. The dragon huffed…

And Jerrick struck. He whirled around, whipped both hands out of his pockets and placed them on Toothless' snout. Toothless was not prepared. His eyes widened, and his pupils slowly dilated. His mouth closed, hiding the row of shining white teeth. A smile formed on his face as he closed his eyes, and he rolled onto his back, exposing the underside of his neck to Jerrick. The moment Toothless rolled over, Jerrick dashed forward and pinched the bottom of his neck. Toothless' eyes flew open and his whole body went rigid.

And then he went limp. Jerrick heaved a huge sigh of relief. Catching Toothless off guard was a surprise to him as much as it was to Toothless. When he spun around, he had pulled out the dragon nip from his pocket and rubbed it all over Toothless' snout. The moment the dragon nip touched his snout, the feared dragon turned into the tamest of housecats. Scarface had also taught them that pinching the underside of a dragon's neck causes them to faint. Jerrick was glad he actually listened to Scarface.

Hiccup simply stared at everything that unfolded. It happened too quickly for him to respond. Jerrick turned around and glared at Hiccup. A fire burned in his eyes, shooting flaming daggers at the man who killed his father. Unsheathing his sword, he bolted through the small entrance to the cove and charged at Hiccup. Hiccup snapped out of his trance and unsheathed his sword. Too late to get the jump on him, Jerrick slowed to a stop. He took a moment to catch his breath and analyse his opponent. Hiccup was left handed. No problem, he had fought left handers before. Hiccup was clearly experienced, balance centered with his feet shoulder-width apart, leaning forward slightly on his prosthetic leg.

"Calm down Jerrick," Hiccup said in a calm voice. "We can talk about this."

"Not a chance in hell," Jerrick retorted. "Not after what you've done." Hiccup looked lost for a moment.

"What have I done?" He asked.

"Don't try and pretend like you don't know," Jerrick growled. How _dare _he try and deny it?

"I seriously don't-" Jerrick yelled and charged forward. He swung viciously at Hiccup. Sparks flew as Hiccup parried the hit. Hiccup was taller, but height never meant anything to Jerrick. Being shorter meant that he was more agile. He also had the advantage of having two fully intact limbs. Jerrick darted from side to side, sending strike after strike Hiccup's way. Rage flowed through Jerrick's veins, spurring each attack with even greater force. Hiccup was getting weaker with each hit, Jerrick could feel it. Every time the metal clanged in his ears, Jerrick felt himself gaining an advantage. He darted forward again and sent yet another arm-crushing strike at Hiccup. Hiccup parried it, but the force of the attack caused his arm to fly back, leaving his chest fully exposed. One stab and it would all be settled. The world would be at peace. Jerrick raised his sword, preparing to drive it forward into the cold heart of the man who toppled his world.

But he hesitated. Jerrick's sword hung in the air for just a split second too long.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jerrick saw a flame being ignited. He snapped out of his trance and drove the pointed tip of the sword towards Hiccup's chest…

But Hiccup raised his sword just in time to parry Jerrick's attack. That split second was all Hiccup needed to recover. Jerrick felt the heat of a flame wash in front of his face, and then he realised that Hiccup's sword was on fire. He was fighting with fire again. Jerrick released the sword lock and jumped a few steps back. The sound of beating wings echoed around the cove. Before Jerrick could look up, four dragons landed beside Hiccup, each carrying their own riders. The flame on the sword must have been a signal.

The dragon riders landed on the soft grass and wielded their weapons. Even Fishlegs was carrying a weapon, much to Jerrick's surprise. They all looked at him with frowns on their faces, except for Astrid, who probably had a mask of hatred hung up on her wall that she wore every day. Hiccup strode forward, flaming sword in hand. His jade eyes bore a chill in them, and his clenched fists spoke of the fury within him. Oddly accurate code name, Jerrick thought. As he came nearer to Jerrick, Hiccup stretched out a palm towards him.

"I don't want to hurt you Jerrick," Hiccup soothed. "I want to help you. Put the sword down and let's talk."

"I don't need your help," Jerrick snarled.

"Put the sword down and let's talk," Hiccup continued. His emerald eyes softened slightly, and there was a tinge of concern showing. Was it genuine, or was this merely how he lured his victims in? Either way, putting down the sword was the last thing on Jerrick's mind. The moment he did that, he knew he would be their prisoner. Jerrick cursed. Why didn't he drive the sword in when he had the chance? It was too late to fight back now. He was outnumbered six to one. And they had dragons. No matter how hard he tried, it would be impossible to win against six people, let alone six people with dragons. There wasn't much he could do. Unless…

His mission was primarily a capture mission. _Primarily_. There was always an alternative. The crossbow. He hadn't had much training with it, but he had enough to aim it well. Besides, one shot was all he had. He might get executed for this, but he'd die knowing it wasn't in vain.

Jerrick sighed. He let his arms hang loosely by his sides. With a shrug, he flung his sword to the side. "Fine, let's talk," he said as grumpily as he could. Hiccup smiled a little as he extinguished the flame and sheathed his sword. Corey would really appreciate such an invention.

But the moment Hiccup released his sword, a few things happened at once. Jerrick reached behind his back and pulled out the loaded crossbow. At the same time, dragon fire erupted and flew towards him. Jerrick briefly caught the terrified look plastered on Hiccup's face as he aimed the crossbow. The sounds of dragons firing continued to echo around him. Jerrick pulled the trigger. The arrow whooshed through the air, flying straight at Hiccup's chest. The arrow had a metal head, which not only made sure it had enough weight to fly where it was aimed, but it made it strong enough to pierce through leather armour.

The shots from the dragons exploded all around Jerrick. Rocks and soil flew up around him, throwing Jerrick off his feet. He screamed as he flipped around in the air uncontrollably. The stale taste of mud filled Jerrick's mouth, and his eyes watered from the dirt in it. Jerrick couldn't see anything. Suddenly, he landed on his head, and a wave of agonising pain exploded every nerve in his head. The world felt much blacker all of a sudden. His head swarmed. But Jerrick forced himself to fight against the pain and dizziness and open his eyes. A very blurry vision of Hiccup lying down on the floor writhing in pain was all Jerrick could see. He smiled.

He had fought with fire.

And he had won.

That was the last thought that went through his head before the muddy darkness claimed him.


	11. Chapter 10: Defied The Odds

**Reviews:**

**Little-anonymous-me:** Thank you!

**Creeper AW Mam: **Saying that Hiccup isn't the antagonist isn't really that correct too. I'm sure that from the way Hiccup treats his enemies (stubbornness, etc), if we reverse the perspectives, Hiccup can really be an antagonist. Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing! Means a lot to me.

* * *

**Chapter 10: Defied The Odds**

Jerrick's head pulsated harder than ever, as though the blood in his veins wanted to burst out of his brain. His tongue felt sour and dry. He had to have a concussion by now. How many times had he woken up like this in the last few days? The back of his head throbbed painfully. A groan escaped his lips. The light burned through his shut eyelids, trying desperately to reach his pupils. When he tried to block the light, something dug into his wrists and prevented him from doing so. Jerrick didn't need to open his eyes to know that he was tied to a chair. He'd awoken like this before. It was almost like déjà vu.

Muffled voices rang around like shrill bells tolling on a cold morning. Jerrick tried his best to listen to the voices. "...should we go… help…?" "...tried to kill… shoulder." "...chicken… not amused..." Jerrick couldn't make out what they were trying to say. Something snapped inside of him, telling him that he needed to be alert. Now.

The light stabbed his pupils as he forced them open against his own will. His eyes watered. As his vision cleared, Jerrick could make out metal bars in front of him. It didn't take a genius to guess that he was in a prison cell. The other three walls were made of wood. Jerrick kept looking around the cell until his eyes fell on something that sent cold shivers prickling down his back. Resting against the wall in the corridor was Hiccup's sword, casting flickering shadows against the wall behind it. A gleam of light bouncing off the blade reminded Jerrick grimly that it was a flaming sword.

Footsteps thudded down the corridor. Jerrick shook his head to clear the fog, just in time to see the ice demon incarnate reach his cell. Astrid glowered at him with such ferocity that he would've died, been forcefully dragged back from the grave, and then brutally torn to pieces again if looks could kill. Her eyes screamed bloody murder, and a fiery fury burned all around her. The other riders were nowhere in sight, as though the fire would envelope them if they tried to come near. Astrid unlocked the door to his cell and stormed in.

"Who are you?" Astrid demanded. She pulled out her axe and twirled it menacingly in her right hand.

"I'm just a boy," Jerrick spat.

"Don't play games with me," Astrid hissed. "I know you're not a normal boy. Let me ask you one more time, who are you, and what are you doing here?" She twirled the axe in her hand more aggressively. Jerrick didn't need another warning. There was no doubt that she was more than willing to use the axe. Might as well tell the truth and live than tell a lie and die. Jerrick felt his heart rise into his throat. He swallowed it back down before continuing.

"Jerrick. I'm here for revenge."

"Revenge?" Astrid scoffed. "What has Hiccup ever done to you?"

"He killed my father!" Jerrick yelled as he lurched forward as far as he could. The ropes dig into his skin. Astrid scoffed, louder this time.

"Hiccup's the most peaceful person I know." Astrid retorted.

"Tell me how is he the most peaceful person if he killed my father?" Jerrick snarled.

"He would never do such a thing," Astrid insisted.

"Well he did."

"He's always spreading ideas about peace."

"They don't seem to be working now, do they?"

"He'll never do something against these ideas."

"Then how about you take his ideas and shove it up your ass? Or does he do that for you when you're sucking his-" Astrid snarled and flung her axe. Jerrick flinched. A loud crack sounded from the wall beside him. Jerrick felt a few splinters land on him. He opened his eyes, and immediately felt the flat of a cold blade against his neck. Jerrick stiffened. He held his breath as Astrid leaned in close to his face.

"Last warning," Astrid hissed. "You better answer properly, or _else_."

"Or else what?" Jerrick said. "You're going to kill me?" Astrid removed the blade from his neck and strode out of the cell. She picked up Hiccup's fiery sword and came back in.

"Or else I'll make it very painful for you," Astrid snarled. Jerrick understood. Torture. These brutes were going to torture him until he told everything. Anger bubbled in his chest like a babbling brook of lava. The ropes digging into his skin didn't help the cause. Jerrick glared at Astrid. Astrid's icy blue eyes glared back. The ice demon twirled the fiery sword. Jerrick got the message. He was trapped, she wasn't. Speak or be forced to speak. Jerrick huffed loudly.

"I've told you everything," he said miserably.

"As if," Astrid scoffed.

"It's the truth!" Jerrick protested.

"I don't believe it."

Suddenly Jerrick had enough. "Then how about you go fuck yourself." Jerrick spat out his words. Astrid's grip on the sword tightened.

"You're just making this hard on yourself," Astrid warned. "Tell me the truth and-"

"It's the truth, donkey-brain!" Jerrick yelled.

"We'll find out," Astrid said. She dropped the sword, grabbed Jerrick's tunic and reached for her dagger. Jerrick suddenly realised he wasn't wearing his armour. Astrid sliced open his tunic, leaving his bare chest exposed to the cold. He never felt so helpless before, hands tied and skin exposed. Jerrick watched with fear and dread as Astrid reached for the flaming sword. She raised the hilt of the sword right to Jerrick's face, and pressed a button. Immediately, a thick, pungent, green gas began to hiss out of the hilt straight into Jerrick's nose. The gas burned his lungs. He coughed violently. Jerrick inhaled sharply, but all he got was more acid in his lungs. Air. He needed air. Jerrick choked and spluttered. The fire in his chest spread. A murky blackness began to envelope his vision.

And then the gas stopped flowing. Jerrick gulped in the fresh air greedily. He coughed and hyperventilated, forcing the thick gas out and replacing it with clean, breathable air. That gas was horrible. It was only in front of his face for a few seconds, but within that short time he felt nauseous and faint already.

"Tell me the truth," Astrid snarled.

"That's-" Jerrick coughed. "-the truth." Astrid's frown grew even darker. She pressed a button, and the sword ignited with a loud whoosh. A few flames dripped off the sword and landed on the ground with a loud hiss. Jerrick's breath hitched. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Astrid glared at him. Jerrick felt the heat of the fire against his cheek. He never felt so cold and hot at the same time.

"One last time, why are you trying to kill Hiccup?" The fire crackled. A drop of the flame flew out from the sword and landed on Jerrick's stomach. Jerrick felt the burn shoot through his nerves. He tugged the ropes. They held fast. He gulped.

"I've told you already," Jerrick said in an unusually high voice.

"That's a lie," Astrid snarled. "Who sent you?" She brought the sword right beside his face. Jerrick whimpered. The flames were way too close.

"I don't know his name," Jerrick whined. "We called him Scarface. He had a large scar across his face."

"What does he look like?" Astrid yelled in his ear. The sword licked his bare chest. The flames singed the hairs on his skin. Jerrick backed into the chair. The ropes were too tight to do anything.

"I told you!" Jerrick yelled desperately.

"Hiccup doesn't have enemies like that!"

"It's the truth!"

"We'll see," Astrid hissed. She raised the sword in front of Jerrick's face. The flames jumped, heating Jerrick's face. It wasn't even touching his skin, yet it felt so hot. Jerrick's heart raced. The sword came closer to his chest. He gulped. Jerrick closed his eyes.

"Astrid! Stop!" A voice bellowed from outside the cell. Cold air struck his chest again. Cautiously, Jerrick opened his eyes.

And his jaw fell open in surprise.

Hiccup was standing there. Alive. A bloody bandage was wrapped around his left shoulder and stretched out to his elbow. The arrow must have struck him just above the heart. Jerrick never thought he would be glad to see Hiccup alive. The man had just saved him from certain torture.

"What are you doing?" Hiccup asked. He grimaced and inhaled deeply. Speaking seemed to be a challenge. The arrow must have hurt a lot.

"Why are you here?" Astrid asked. "You should be resting."

"I woke up and realised you were gone." Hiccup paused to take a deep breath. "The others told me you were here. What-" he took a deep breath "-are you doing?"

"Finding out what Jerrick is doing here," Astrid said. Her tone was so nonchalant. Was she going to completely overlook the fact that she was about to burn him for that?

"Astrid, you know what I think about… what you're doing," Hiccup said. He sounded disappointed. Another deep breath. "Let him go."

"Hiccup, he tried to kill you."

"I don't like to hurt people." Jerrick did a double take. Did he actually say that? It had to be a lie. How did someone who hates hurting people kill his father? Astrid was visibly torn between listening to Hiccup and continuing the torture. Jerrick wanted to tell her the obvious answer, but decided against it. Eventually, Astrid extinguished the fire and dropped the sword. Without the heat from the sword, the cold air struck his bare chest, and he shivered.

Snotlout and Fishlegs entered the cell and began to untie Jerrick. He stood up and rubbed some feeling back into his sore wrists and ankles. But he still didn't have a tunic. If it was already this cold in the prison, how much colder would it be outside? His torn tunic lay in a corner. There wasn't any way to fix that. There was a long cut down the centre of his tunic. Fixing that would just leave an ugly stitch mark. Besides, the sleeves were torn as well.

"Don't think I'm done with you," Hiccup suddenly said in a low voice. He took a deep breath. "Just because I untied you doesn't mean I'm letting you go." The cell door slammed shut, startling Jerrick. A key turned in the lock. Jerrick mentally cursed himself for not taking the chance to run while he could. Then again, where could he go? Hiccup drew in another breath. "I'll be back." With that, he turned around and began to walk away slowly, the other riders in tow. Jerrick vaguely heard Hiccup ask "Did you use the Zippleback gas? You know it's toxic" on the way out. That was probably the green gas Astrid shoved down his lungs. Jerrick heard Hiccup's deep breaths, and he could imagine the pained look on his face. He didn't know whether to smile or feel ashamed though. Hiccup had just spared him from torture. But he killed his father. But he didn't like to hurt people. But he's a murderer.

A shiver brought Jerrick back to the present. The cell was getting colder and colder, no thanks to the small hole in the wall that Astrid made when she threw her axe. He wrapped his tunic around his body. Was the sword still around? It would be a good source of heat. Sadly, Astrid brought it out with her. Hopefully Hiccup would bring a spare tunic or something that would keep him warm when he returned.

Something in Jerrick's mind clicked.

There was a hole in the wall.

How long would Hiccup take to return? He couldn't walk too fast, and Jerrick was certain Astrid wouldn't be back before Hiccup, especially after Hiccup stopped her. Jerrick glanced down the corridor. The other riders weren't around too. None of them stayed back to stand guard. Maybe there was one at the entrance of the prison, but there were none in the corridor. The corridor was of a decent length. If someone was at the entrance, they would be able to hear loud sounds like someone slamming an axe through the wood, but something about the volume of a soft conversation might not be heard.

Jerrick scampered away from the bars and examined the hole. It definitely wasn't large enough for him to go through. Yet. The hole was about the length of half his forearm, and at the centre it was wide enough to stick his forearm through. The wood planks surrounding the hole were weakened too. There were cracks in the planks. With enough force the cracks might give way. Jerrick placed his palm on the cracks and pushed. There was barely any movement. He was going to need a lot more force. Jerrick placed both his boots against the cracks and kicked as hard as he could. A few splinters fell off, but that was it. The cracks held firm.

What else could he do? He would need to drive something heavy into the wall with enough speed, like a battering ram. There was nothing heavy in the cell, in fact, all the cell had was a wooden chair. Using something wooden to break a wooden plank was not the smartest idea. What if he used his boots? Jerrick removed one of his boots and tied more of the discarded ropes onto the laces. The wooden floor felt damp and cold against the sole of his exposed foot. Jerrick aimed the boot and swung it into the wall. Small cracking sounds could be heard. Jerrick swung again. More cracking sounds, but the wall didn't break. He swung again, and again, and again. The cracking sounds grew softer and softer, only to be replaced by a disappointing thud. The wall wasn't breaking. Even tiny splinters were no longer breaking off. Jerrick knew there had to be a reason why this wood was used for the prison walls. It was surprisingly sturdy.

He slumped to the floor and wrapped his torn tunic around him. Cold air blew in through the tiny hole, taunting him with the prospect of being free. The grass rustled in the wind outside. The green world outside was so close, yet so far. He could literally reach out and touch the grass, but he couldn't go further than that. His feet could never touch the grass. Jerrick forced himself to think of something other than the diabolical interrogation methods coming soon. Maybe he would light him on fire with his sword. At least he would feel warm. Jerrick shivered. He wondered if his friends would've noticed if he was burnt. He hadn't seen them ever since he presented the plan. Even then, he had stormed off from them. What a great friend he was. Jerrick shivered again, more vigorously this time. The wind whistled a sorrowful tune through the tiny gap. A soft burp-growl-squawk sound came through the gap as well. Jerrick couldn't pinpoint what that sound was exactly. The wind was definitely taunting him now. The weird sound came through the gap, but louder this time. It was an oddly familiar sound. The wind must have taunted him when he was a child too, perhaps when he was on the boat to Breca. Jerrick heard the weird sound again. He glared at the hole, intending to tell the wind to shut up.

But instead he was greeted with shining yellow eyes.

"Rockcrusher!" Jerrick whispered loudly. The dragon barked loudly. "Shh!" Jerrick held a finger to his lips. "We don't want any guards to hear us," Jerrick quickly explained when Rockcrusher's face fell. How would they break the wall without any sound though? "At least not yet," he added. Rockcrusher wagged his tail at Jerrick.

That was it.

A rock-hard tail.

"Rockcrusher," Jerrick said, earning him a delighted leap from the Gronckle. "Could you break this and get me out of here?" The blue Gronckle glanced at the hole. He had a thoughtful look on his face, mouth closed and keen yellow eyes darting around. Rockcrusher looked at his tail, as though checking if it was still there. Finally, he looked back at Jerrick.

And then darted off.

Jerrick cursed loudly. Why did he trust a stupid dragon to free him? They were all animals anyway. Rockcrusher might have understood him that day, but clearly that didn't mean he was a friend. Saving a human's life was obviously very different from freeing one from prison. One was right, the other was wrong. Maybe Hiccup and his cronies had punished him for doing such a thing previously. Jerrick shrank back into himself. All he could do now was wait for Hiccup to come back with whatever interrogation techniques he had.

Suddenly, Jerrick heard chewing from outside the cell. The sounds got louder and louder. Jerrick peeked down the corridor. It was empty. Was someone eating outside the prison? He looked through the hole in the wall.

And saw Rockcrusher gleefully chewing away. Jerrick's anger rose.

"Why are you eating at a time like this?" Jerrick hissed. "Are you here to taunt me as well?" Rockcrusher ignored him. He kept chewing away. Jerrick huffed and wrapped the tunic tightly around him, trying to stop himself from shivering. The chewing persisted, and Jerrick tried to use his shoulders to cover his ears, but to no avail. He would simply have to bear with that idiotic dragon eating right outside his cell.

Speaking of which, Rockcrusher peeped through the hole. He smiled brightly at Jerrick. Jerrick glared back at him. One was definitely having a good time eating, the other was shivering in a cell. Rockcrusher burped…

And a mound of lava landed right on the hole. The cracked planks burnt away within seconds, making the hole much bigger, big enough for Jerrick to pass through. Black scorch marks lined the surrounding of the new, enlarged hole. Jerrick resisted the urge to shout for joy. Rockcrusher actually came up with his own plan to free Jerrick, and he did so without any noise. A pang of guilt rose in Jerrick's chest for thinking that Rockcrusher would leave him. He scrambled through the new and improved hole, clutching his torn tunic in his hand. Tiny splinters poked and prodded his bare chest and arms. But eventually, he landed heavily on the soft and cold grass outside.

"Thank you, Rockcrusher," Jerrick hugged the Gronckle's snout. Rockcrusher wagged his tail. Jerrick released Rockcrusher and looked around. Where were they? He hadn't seen the prison in the few days he was in Berk. But he knew that he didn't have much time to figure it out. Hiccup would be back soon. If he wanted to avoid going back to jail, he had to leave now. And not just leave this part of the island, he had to leave the island.

"Come on Rockcrusher," Jerrick said as he mounted Rockcrusher. "We're going to find my friends." Rockcrusher flapped his wings and hovered for a moment. The prison block extended in a straight line in both directions. There were no bends on either side. It was just a long block of cells. The forest began right in front of him. On his right, Jerrick could see the village far below, and the sea was not too far on his left. The prison must have been located on top of a tall hill or mountain. Jerrick directed Rockcrusher into the forest. They stayed close to the ground. It would be harder to find where his friends were, but at least they were less likely to be spotted by any riders.

The Gronckle has the best maneuverability among all the dragons. It can change direction quickly and perform many other flying feats other dragons are typically incapable of. But Jerrick didn't know this. All Jerrick knew was that he had to hang on to Rockcrusher as tightly as he could. His tunic was blown away when he let go of it. If he fell off, it would hurt. Quite an understatement, in hindsight.

Heart pounding, Jerrick scanned the forest for anything. A feature that he recognised, another dragon, or even a rider hiding in the bushes. Jerrick didn't rule anything out. The cold wind beat against his back, and he shivered violently. It wasn't long before they reached a part of the forest that Jerrick recognised. The crescent shaped rock was one of the key checkpoints he always looked for. Jerrick tapped Rockcrusher's side, and he obediently flew in that direction. Up next was a small downslope where he had to turn left. There was a word for this terrain feature but it eluded him at the moment. Jerrick tapped Rockcrusher on the left side when the bank came into view. 'Bank' was still the wrong word for the terrain feature. After that, all they had to do was fly straight for a few hundred metres and they would meet the rest. Would they be alarmed by Rockcrusher's presence? They had never been close to a dragon before.

Jerrick instructed Rockcrusher to stop a distance away from his friends and completed the last part of the journey on foot. He wrapped his arms around himself, trying to trap as much heat as possible. When they got near the campsite, Jerrick raised his hand. Rockcrusher stayed.

"Guys?" Jerrick called out as he rubbed warmth into his frozen body. Twigs snapped loudly when he pushed a few bushes out of his path. A few branches poked into his bare skin. Jerrick's heart raced. He spun to face the sky when he heard the sound of wings flapping. But there was nothing. Jerrick played it down as his overactive imagination. But there was no doubt that every single one of his senses were on high alert. He could probably hear colours at the rate he was going.

"Kari? Corey? Anyone?" Jerrick called again. The cold wind rustled a few bushes. Somewhere in the forest, a dragon roared.

"Jerrick?" Jerrick jumped when Kari's voice called out.

"I'm over here!" Jerrick replied. "Can you guys come here? I've something to show you." A few twigs snapped and the leaves rustled. Eventually a bush opened like a doorway to allow Kari to enter the fray.

Kari looked the same, bar the sleepless look in her eyes and her slightly disheveled brown hair. Her green eyes still sparkled brightly. The cute dimples on her cheeks appeared as she smiled. A warm feeling suddenly flowed through his body. Jerrick couldn't stop himself from laughing happily. He ran towards her and embraced her warmly.

"I've missed you," Jerrick said.

"It's only been a day, silly boy," Kari stated as she slowly broke the hug. "Also, why are you shirtless?"

A warm blush crept into Jerrick's cheeks. He'd completely forgotten about that.

"Long story," Jerrick said as he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "I'll fill you in later. Where are the others?" He pulled a tunic that Kari fished out of her satchel over his head.

"They're getting water nearby. I stayed back to guard the camp. Do you want me to get them?"

"No need, there isn't much time." Jerrick paused for a brief moment. "How good are you with dragons?"

Kari looked stunned. "I don't understand, what do you mean?"

"Are you scared of dragons?"

"I don't think so, I mean-"

"I'd like you to meet someone." Jerrick interrupted her. He called Rockcrusher's name, earning him a confused look from Kari.

The blue dragon in question had been busying himself with the scents in the air when he heard his name being called. There was one other scent apart from his rider's familiar one. He leapt out from behind a rock, wagging his tail in delight. Immediately, screaming filled the air. Rockcrusher's face fell and his eyes widened. Jerrick tried to soothe his friend.

Amidst the screams, Jerrick noticed Rockcrusher dart back behind the rock. He had to try harder to calm Kari down. Freaking out a dragon probably wasn't a very wise thing to do.

"He's friendly, calm down," Jerrick said urgently. Hopefully there weren't any riders in the air who heard her scream. Kari was no longer screaming, much to Jerrick's relief. Jerrick noticed a few tears slide down her cheek. Was she that scared? This was a bad move. "Calm down," Jerrick said again, more urgently this time. He held Kari in his arms. "He's a friend, he's a friend." He muttered a silent prayer. It felt like she was never going to calm down, but thank heavens she did. Kari took a few deep breaths. Jerrick wiped her tears with his sleeve and sighed a huge sigh of relief. They hadn't been spotted or heard. Hopefully.

"Promise me you won't freak out again," Jerrick said. Kari nodded warily. Jerrick called his dragon. "Rockcrusher, you can come out now."

A blue snout peeked out cautiously from behind the rock. Bright yellow eyes scanned the area, before locking onto Jerrick. Jerrick smiled at him, hopefully he'll take it as a good sign. Rockcrusher slowly inched out from behind the rock. His eyes darted between Jerrick and the other human. The Gronckle's mouth was clamped shut, as though opening it would make him more vulnerable. Jerrick took a few steps forward and stretched out his hand. The dragon crept by Jerrick's side, and Jerrick placed his hand on his snout.

"Kari," Jerrick said. "Let me introduce Rockcrusher." The dragon in question made a little sound as though confirming that he was indeed present. Kari had her eyes wide open and held her hands in front of her chest, like she normally did when she was fearful. Jerrick had only seen her do this twice before. The first time was when they were walking by the edge of a cliff. The second was when she tried to ask some guy out. The guy rejected her, Jerrick suddenly recalled. Jerrick turned back to the task at hand.

"Can she touch you?" Jerrick whispered in Rockcrusher's ear. Rockcrusher turned to Jerrick, bright yellow eyes wavering slightly. Jerrick never knew dragons were so capable of showing emotion too. "She's my friend." The blue Gronckle kept staring at Jerrick questionably. What was going through his mind? Hopefully nothing sinister. Maybe he was thinking of what non-human thing he should eat for lunch. Eventually, Rockcrusher dropped his stare. He wagged his tail for a split second. That meant yes. Jerrick smiled.

"Thanks, Rockcrusher." Jerrick headed over to Kari. "Kari, do you want to touch Rockcrusher?"

"Touch him?" Kari said incredulously. "What if he bites my hand off?"

"He wouldn't do such a thing," Jerrick said, holding back the urge to reply with a snarky retort. "I touched him just now, and I still have my hands intact."

"How do you know he's okay with it?" Kari asked softly.

"When he saved me from drowning, I talked to him a little," Jerrick explained. "I slowly understood what meant yes and what meant no. A tail wag is a yes."

"You drowned?" Kari said quickly.

"Yes, I almost did. I'll tell you the story later. For now, we have to hurry." Jerrick held Kari's hands. "Do you trust me?"

"Yeah, I do, but-"

"Well then, trust me. Rockcrusher isn't going to hurt you. Just a simple pat on his snout will show him that you trust him. Then he can trust you too."

Kari's emerald eyes flickered nervously between the blue Gronckle and Jerrick. "How do I do that?" Kari asked eventually.

"Let me show you." Jerrick held her hand gently and led her towards Rockcrusher. Kari's face had fear plastered all over it, all the signs were there. She was breathing heavily, her eyes widened, her lips pursed. Jerrick's heart raced. Was this the right move? What if Rockcrusher really did bite her hand off? He forced himself to calm down. He should trust the dragon more. After all, Rockcrusher did save him from the prison cell even when he thought he had run away. Jerrick guided Kari until she was right in front of Rockcrusher. He let go of her hand, and almost like a natural instinct, she raised it in front of her chest.

"Kneel down, close your eyes and dip your head," Jerrick said gently. Kari gave him a look. "That's what I did to show him I wasn't a threat," Jerrick explained. Kari glanced back at the large Gronckle directly in front of her. Rockcrusher seemed equally scared. Kari took a deep breath. She took a small step back, and kneeling down, she closed her eyes and dipped her head. Slowly, Jerrick held her hand and gently opened her palm with his. He let his hand linger there for a split second longer, and then he let go.

Jerrick watched with bated breath as Rockcrusher stared at Kari's hand. Rockcrusher glanced at Jerrick, and Jerrick gave him a reassuring smile - at least, he thought it was reassuring. The blue Gronckle glanced back at the kneeling girl, and then at palm outstretched in front of him. Jerrick began to worry even more. Rockcrusher was holding that look for a little too long. But eventually, Rockcrusher leaned into her palm.

Kari gasped when the thick, scaly snout pressed against her open palm. Jerrick sighed a huge sigh of relief. He hadn't even noticed he was holding his breath until now. Kari was standing up and patting Rockcrusher on the snout, who had his tongue hanging out like a little dog. Jerrick grinned from eye to eye. A huge wave of joy came to him as he watched Kari bond with his dragon. But time was still not on their side. Hiccup might have noticed his disappearance already.

"Hey boy," Jerrick said in a serious tone. The dragon perked up. "Can you get us all out of here?" Rockcrusher had thick skin and a sturdy shape, five teenagers could probably fit on his back. Rockcrusher looked at Jerrick, then at Kari, and then back at Jerrick. He wagged his tail briefly…

And flew off. Jerrick watched helplessly as the blue Gronckle darted through the trees deeper into the forest. What was he doing? For a moment, Jerrick felt the hopelessness build within him again, the same hopelessness when Rockcrusher first abandoned him in the prison. But the logical side of his mind told him that Rockcrusher knew what he was doing, and just like at the prison, he'll be back with a better plan.

"Where did he go?" Kari asked.

"No idea," Jerrick said. "But," he added quickly before she could say anything. "He's probably coming up with a better plan."

"You seem to trust him a lot."

"He saved my life and busted me out of prison."

Suddenly, the flapping of wings resounded from the forest. Jerrick's heart rose into his throat. The riders! "Hide!" He ordered urgently. She didn't argue. They hid behind the rock Rockcrusher was hiding behind earlier. He held his breath as the sounds came closer. Cautiously, Jerrick peeked around the rock. Leaves rustled from the wing beats. Branches cracked and some fell to the floor. Jerrick shrank further behind the rock. Eventually, the canopy gave way to the vicious dragons tearing their way through it.

Except that the dragons weren't vicious at all.

It was Rockcrusher.

And he brought his friends along. There were three other Gronckles besides Rockcrusher. Two were beige and one was a blue-green colour that was more green than blue. Jerrick couldn't contain his delight. He let out a laugh as he ran forward to Rockcrusher and hugged him on his snout. The dragon burped-growled-snorted happily. Even as he hugged Rockcrusher's snout, Jerrick could feel the power of his tail as he wagged it about.

"Thank you, Rockcrusher," Jerrick said as he released him. "Can we leave now?" Rockcrusher seemed to sense Jerrick's urgency. He dipped his head immediately and Jerrick mounted him. "Come with me," Jerrick said to Kari, holding out a hand to help her. Her warm hand grabbed his as she mounted Rockcrusher behind Jerrick. He gave her a moment to adjust herself. "Come on boy," Jerrick said to Rockcrusher. "Let's get my friends."

As Jerrick adjusted himself, he felt Rockcrusher's chest vibrate as he let out a deep roar. The other Gronckles roared back. The dragon entourage took off and flew towards a nearby stream. Jerrick felt Kari's hands tighten around his waist and her body pressed tightly into his back. Despite the situation, Jerrick couldn't dry the fact that he enjoyed having Kari riding behind him. It didn't take more than a few seconds to find the rest. They were busy collecting water in small jars. Jerrick pointed to them, and Rockcrusher read his mind. He roared, and the other Gronckles swooped down towards them. They glanced up, and immediately their faces were filled with fear. The Gronckles rushed towards his friends, mouths opening. The water jars fell out of their hands. They screamed. The Gronckles opened their mouths, grabbed his friends and flung them onto their backs without even touching the floor. His friends scrambled to adjust themselves on the Gronckles, all the while screaming out their lungs.

Jerrick rolled his eyes. They had flown before, why were they so scared. To be fair, the last time they had flown, they had more experienced people with them. Neither did the Singetails grabbed them by their mouths and toss them onto their backs.

"Please, stop screaming," Jerrick said. The way their screams started to die down was almost as though it hadn't occurred to them. _Stop screaming, why didn't I think of that?_ Eventually the screams dissipated into hyperventilating, which, while not ideal, was way better than screaming.

"Jer-Jerrick? Kari?" Dustin finally squeezed out.

"Yeah, it's us. We're safe, these guys aren't going to eat you." Jerrick assured them.

"What's happening?" Dustin asked.

"We're leaving this dreadful place," Jerrick said flatly.

"To where?" Corey asked. "And why are we suddenly leaving?"

"They found me out," Jerrick explained. "We can't stay, they're searching for me. We're going back to the Northern Markets to meet Scarface."

By now they were off the island of Berk and flying over the open sea. The sun was on their left, slightly above the horizon. Was it morning or evening? The last meal Jerrick remembered eating was breakfast. He couldn't have passed out for a whole day, right? That meant they were heading south, which was the wrong direction. The Northern Markets were north, obviously. Jerrick told Rockcrusher to turn around, and he obeyed.

The dragon entourage flew towards Berk, staying close to the water to minimise their chances of being detected. The screams had stopped, thankfully. Now he didn't have to worry about being heard by riders. He only had to worry about flying past Berk. There was a very high chance they might get spotted.

"Do you know any way to get around Berk without being seen?" Jerrick asked Rockcrusher. The dragon narrowed his eyes. After a split second, he made a sound, and flew determinedly towards a tunnel in the side of the island*. The moment they entered the tunnel, the musty scent of dust and dampness filled Jerrick's nose immediately. He coughed. How anyone could live in an enclosed tunnel he didn't know. Musty smells built up way too fast for his liking. Thankfully, the air wasn't thick, like the Zippleback gas he inhaled in the prison.

The gears slowly turned in Jerrick's mind. All the clues he picked up were beginning to fall into place. Zippleback gas. Thick. Hiccup's voice saying Zippleback gas is toxic. Smells building up quickly. In tunnels. The twins' Zippleback opening their mouths. Throwing balls. Metallic cylinders. Masks. Zippleback gas. The map. Tunnels. Zippleback gas building up quickly in tunnels. Masks worn and metallic cylinders thrown as they flew together. Everything fell in place. The gears made their last turn and lined up perfectly.

"I figured out the plan," Jerrick announced as they burst into the open. They continued to fly low, close to the water surface. He waited for a response, but none came. Jerrick turned around. All his friends were plastered against their dragons, clinging on desperately for dear life. They obviously hadn't heard him, having been too preoccupied with trying to stay alive. Even Kari hadn't heard him. How was that possible? She was basically pressing her ear into his back. A small smile tugged at Jerrick's lips. Whether it was the fact that he could feel Kari's heartbeat against his back or the rather amusing sight of all his friends flattened on their dragons Jerrick didn't know. But either way he didn't care. They were off the dreaded island. The imposing stone statues that stood in front of Berk whizzed past them. They stood tall and menacing, striking fear into anyone who dared venture into Berk uninvited. They warned of a fate so cruel to those who dared to trespass. Well, he had done exactly that, and survived. He had broken out of prison and flown off the island on a dragon. He had defied the odds and made it out alive.

* * *

***: Tunnel in the side of the island: **After the Screaming Death incident, there's a high possibility that there are many tunnels underneath Berk.


	12. Chapter 11: Secrets

**Chapter 11: Secrets**

Hiccup forced his face to remain even as he walked back to his house from the prison. The arrow definitely took a toll on him. Thankfully, it had completely missed his heart, piercing him way above the heart. But the arrowhead had broken his collarbone and stabbed through his flesh a little. Mercifully, he had gone unconscious a few seconds after the impact, but when it first hit him, the pain was excruciating. It jolted down his arm and across his entire body like the lightning bolt that struck him years ago.

It wasn't until around two hours later when he woke up to a throbbing pain in his left side. There were bandages wrapped around the wounded area, and just to make sure the bandages stayed, the left side of his upper torso was wrapped up as well. Gothi was in the midst of preparing a sling for his arm when he woke up. She gave him a tonic to drink to ease the pain. Nothing he did could hide the wince as he rose from a lying to a sitting position. As much as he didn't want the other riders to see him in pain, he was glad that all the other riders were there to help him up. Except for Astrid. When he asked the others where she was, they told him she had left to see Jerrick. But Hiccup knew immediately she wasn't going to just see Bran- Jerrick. Knowing her, Jerrick wasn't going to feel much better than himself when she was done 'seeing' him. So despite the protests of everyone around, including the wise healer herself, Hiccup had stood up and dragged himself out of Gothi's hut. The pain was horrible and he had to breathe deeply to get enough air to stay alive. He scrambled onto an anxious Toothless waiting outside the hut and told him to head to the prison immediately. The Night Fury, sensing Hiccup's urgency, obliged immediately. They took off, and Hiccup felt his shoulder jolt violently from the take off. The pain tore through his body, sending flares to his brain. Hiccup resisted the urge to scream, instead letting out a loud and prolonged grunt. Toothless warbled concernedly, but he couldn't find the strength to reply yet. He breathed deeply as the pain gradually cooled down.

As they reached the prison, Toothless landed as gently as possible. His shoulder still moved, but it wasn't as bad. He hissed as he dismounted, being very careful to land on his right foot first. He began to walk awkwardly down the corridor, making sure his left arm didn't swing around. Suddenly, he heard shouting from further ahead. He could make out Astrid's voice and a high-pitched Jerrick. That wasn't good. Despite the throbbing in his arm, he called out to Astrid as loudly as he could. And just in time too. The poor boy had his eyes wide with fright and a cold sweat on his forehead. His tunic had been ripped apart and Astrid was wielding Inferno right in front of him. After convincing Astrid to let him go, he began to head back to his house, choosing not to ride Toothless this time.

And here they were, almost reaching the top of the hill where the Haddock house stood. The walk was long and arduous, but they were here at last. He inhaled deeply. Toothless warbled again. He did that every time Hiccup inhaled loudly. Hiccup gave him a little smile, but it didn't do much in easing the dragon's worries. As they reached the door, Hiccup opened the door awkwardly with his non-master right hand. He climbed the stairs to the loft slowly and laid down on the bed as gently as possible. He sighed and winced. There was no point in hiding the pain any more. It was just him and Astrid.

"Are you okay?" Astrid asked.

"Never better," he replied with a small smirk.

Astrid sighed. "I'm worried about you."

Hiccup closed his eyes. "I know babe, but I don't want anyone to get hurt." He breathed deeply. "There's no reason for anyone to get hurt."

"But he hurt you."

"Doesn't mean he has to get hurt. Can you tell one of the riders to get him something to keep him warm?"

"He can stew in the cold for a while." Astrid's voice was firm.

"Yeah, he can. It's the least he deserves, right?" He chuckled. Astrid smiled a little. Hiccup cleared his throat. "Did Jerrick tell you anything?"

Astrid huffed. "He says he's here to take revenge."

"For what?"

"Apparently you killed his father."

"When did I ever kill anyone?"

"That's what I told him. Then he told me some guy with a scar across his face told him this."

Hiccup paused to think. "I don't know anyone who looks like that. Maybe Viggo, but half of his face is scarred, not just a scar across his face. Besides, he's gone."

"That's what I told him, but he insisted that someone like that sent him."

"Could be Krogan, but as far as I know Krogan doesn't have a scar. I have no idea why he suddenly resurfaced."

"But he did, so… here we are. Preparing to take him down. I'm really glad that dragon hunter gave us all the information about Krogan's base. Makes the mission a lot easier."

Hiccup cleared his throat. "I'm afraid we have to push back the mission by a day or two."

Astrid frowned. "Are you kidding me, Hiccup? You got shot today, and you're thinking of capturing Krogan tomorrow?"

"If we wait too long, he might run away." Hiccup inhaled loudly.

"Hiccup-" Astrid was interrupted by the door to the Haddock home slamming open.

"Hiccup!" Snotlout's voice called from downstairs. There was an urgent tone in his voice.

"Up here!" Hiccup called back. Loud footsteps resonated around the house as heavy feet scrambled up the log staircase. Snotlout jumped into the loft, face slightly red and panting heavily. "What is it?" Hiccup asked.

"Ruffnut went back after she noticed that Jerrick didn't have a tunic so she went to get one of Tuff's thinking it'll fit and when she rushed there she saw that there was a hole and she rushed to tell me that she has a huge-"

"Get to the point!" Astrid interjected.

"Jerrick's gone!"

"What?" Hiccup shot up from his bed. He winced when his shoulder shifted. "How did he escape?"

"There was a hole at the back of the cell. I've no idea where he went."

"I'll go check it out," Astrid offered before Hiccup could say anything. "You stay here and rest."

Hiccup was in no mood to protest. His broken collarbone deserved this much. He lay back down awkwardly, being very careful to avoid landing hard on his left shoulder blade. "Go ahead. Let me know what you find."

XX

A few minutes later, the riders were gathered around Jerrick's prison cell, apart from Hiccup. Fishlegs busied himself with examining the hole. It was small, none of them would have fit through that hole, but a young teenager could. How the hole was made wasn't that big of an issue. Astrid admitted that she flung her axe into the wall earlier. But that didn't really help. The most puzzling thing was that there were burn marks all around the hole. Astrid insisted that she brought Inferno out of the cell. So what did Jerrick use to burn a hole through the wood? Fishlegs admitted that the pattern of the burn mark was quite familiar too.

"Forget it, Fishlegs," Astrid said. "Let's search for him." Fishlegs left the cell with that question lingering at the back of his mind. They mounted their dragons and began to follow Jerrick's scent. The chase led them through the forest, winding around trees as they flew below the canopy. Stormfly took the lead, her keen nose sniffing the air as she flew through the forest. Deadly Nadders are Tracker class dragons, which allows them to pick up on minute traces of scents and follow them with great precision. They flew through the forest until Stormfly squawked. Astrid signalled for the group to land and dismount.

They walked along the forest floor, following Stormfly's lead. Suddenly, she stopped, and turned around to face Astrid. Astrid walked in front of Stormfly. As she did so, something red at the corner of her eye caught her attention.

"This is Jerrick's tunic," she announced. "He couldn't have gone far in the cold without his tunic." Astrid held the tunic to Stormfly's nose. "Follow the lead, girl," she said. Stormfly squawked and, after Astrid had mounted her, took off again.

They flew for an extraordinarily long time. Sure, they had flown longer, especially from the Edge back to Berk, but considering the fact that they were chasing someone who escaped on foot, the flight time was significantly long. Finally, Stormfly squawked, and Astrid brought them down to land. They followed Stormfly on foot for the final part. Pushing past a shrub, they entered a small clearing.

And saw a bunch of items that left them speechless.

Food supplies, satchels, and a caged Terrible Terror. Fishlegs rushed forward to free the poor dragon. A small campsite stood right in front of them, apart from a fire. There were a few morsels of yak stew inside. Astrid remembered the day Jerrick interrupted Hiccup's briefing to get some food.

"Looks like Jerrick had some friends," Astrid noted sourly. The size of the campsite could easily fit four or five people.

"And he was supplied by someone else," Snotlout added. "There's no way he picked this much dragon nip in the time he was here." He overturned a satchel, and a bunch of evenly cut dragon nip fell out and littered the floor. Hookfang's eyes perked up at the sight of this, and within seconds, he was frolicking in the dragon nip, much to Snotlout's annoyance. Mutterings of "stupid dragon, good for nothing" could be heard.

"That someone else probably had dragons," Astrid offered. "Fishlegs, any luck on the hole?"

"None yet," Fishlegs said feebly. Meatlug ran past him, happily eating rocks after frolicking in the dragon nip. They continued to sieve through the remains of the campsite, trying to find anything that could be helpful. Fishlegs was interrupted by Meatlug belching loudly.

"Are you okay, girl?" He cooed as he rushed to her side. "Did you eat a bad rock? Poor girl, spew it all out for…" Fishlegs's voice trailed off as he caught sight of the lava mound on the ground. Like a hammer striking a nail, the recollection of where he had seen the burn mark before struck him. There was a day on the Edge when Meatlug had eaten a bad rock as well, and began spewing lava around his hut. Being hot lava, the molten rocks burnt right through the wooden floor, creating identical burn marks around the rims of the hole as that in the all of the prison cell.

"Guys," Fishlegs announced. "A Gronckle made the hole in the prison cell."

"He has a Gronckle helping him? Fishlegs, keep your dragon under control!" Snotlout said brashly.

"Meatlug would never do such a thing!" Fishlegs said defensively. "Maybe he tamed a dragon."

"Guys, look at this," Astrid said. She held a piece of paper in her hands. The others took a look at what she was holding, and they all gasped.

"How did Jerrick get a copy of Hiccup's plans?" Fishlegs asked.

"No idea," Astrid replied. "But if he's interested in the plans, it probably means that Krogan sent him here. Let's find Jerrick before he runs away."

They mounted their dragons and resumed the search. Stormfly led them off the island over the sea, and then abruptly, she turned around and flew back towards the island. They flew through a tunnel underneath Berk. A whispering death probably created the tunnel a long time ago. They shot out of the tunnel and flew northwards. The sea stretched like a blue canvas in front of them. After flying for some time however, there was still no sign of Jerrick. Astrid signalled for them to turn back.

"They must have dragons," Astrid agreed. It wasn't possible for someone to get so far without dragons. "Let's go back to Hiccup with what we've found."

XX

The Northern Markets were bustling as usual. Merchants selling goods loudly, people hustling to and fro. By the side of the path, a small band was playing some sort of traditional music that Jerrick hadn't heard before. A person bumped into Jerrick's back as he rushed past. Jerrick huffed, but didn't bother pursuing the matter. On a typical day, Jerrick would've probably chased him down, but right now there were more pressing issues at hand, like finding Scarface. Jerrick had no idea if he was still in the tavern. Maybe they owned it. Then again, why would the head of an army set up its headquarters in a tavern? They had to have a base somewhere, and according to Hiccup's map, it had tunnels and caves and whatnot. But Jerrick had no idea where that was. The tavern was the only place he might be able to meet Scarface.

Even before they entered the tavern, raucous chatter and alcohol-induced laughter could be heard from outside. Why people liked to drink so much Jerrick didn't know. Maybe it was a grown-up thing. Jerrick pushed open the door, and immediately caught the same whiff of alcohol that hit him a few days ago. He grimaced. Jerrick made a mental note to restrain from drinking any sort of alcoholic drinks even when he was old enough.

"Lads, you're way too young to be in here," a Viking said cheerily in a heavy accent.

"I'm searching for someone," Jerrick said.

"You can wait for your father outside, he'll be busy for the time being." Apparently the man thought it was a good joke, because he began laughing heartily, slapping his thigh in the process. Jerrick ignored him.

"I'm searching for a guy with a scar across his face," Jerrick said, tracing the path that Scarface's scar took across his face. The man sobered up immediately. He wiped his smile from his face and stood up straight.

"You're- you're looking for Krogan?"

"Yes." Jerrick assumed that Scarface was Krogan. There couldn't be that many people with large scars across their faces.

"He's upstairs."

"Thank you." Jerrick led the way up the staircase. The same imposing armour display stood tall and imposing at the stairs landing. They walked down the corridor and towards the same room that they were tied up in. Jerrick knocked and pushed the door open without waiting for a response.

"Who the f- Jerrick?" Scarface couldn't hide the surprise on his face.

"We have news," Jerrick said matter-of-factly.

"And what might this news be?"

"Fury's plan." Jerrick remembered to switch back to the code name for Hiccup.

"Excellent. Tell me everything." Scarface narrowed his eyes and rubbed his hands together, almost diabolically. A cunning smirk appeared on his face. A few incoherent thoughts began to surface in Jerrick's mind, but he shoved them away. There would be another time to piece them together and try and figure out what his subconscious was trying to say.

"They're attacking a cave that has four entry points, and each entry point has a tunnel leading to the main cave. I'm assuming that's your headquarters." Jerrick paused for Scarface to respond. He nodded his confirmation. "They would be entering from two entrances in the east. From there, they will be split into two groups. One group consists of Hiccup, Astrid, and Fishlegs, while the other consists of Snotlout, Tuffnut, and Ruffnut. They will use Zippleback gas to flush out the people in the caves."

"They only have one Zippleback dragon, how are they going to-"

"Let me finish," Jerrick said. "Save your questions to the end, there isn't much time." Scarface huffed. "Fury has invented an airtight container that can open and close. They'll be taking turns to throw them down each tunnel in a relay format. Fury has also invented a mask that protects them from the toxicity of the Zippleback gas.

"They'll continue to do this all the way to the other entrances, where another group of riders would be waiting with two big nets. They'll drop the nets just as your people come running out of the other two exits." Scarface leaned back in his seat.

"And when might he be attacking?"

"Probably at sunset. But Fury's injured."

"He is?" Scarface did little to conceal his delight.

"His shoulder was bandaged up when he saw me in prison. He wasn't in a good state."

"How did he get injured?"

"I shot Fury with a crossbow. They put me in prison after that."

"You're sure they're attacking at sunset?"

"They should've discovered that I've escaped by now."

Scarface hummed thoughtfully. "You are one remarkable lad, Jerrick. Your father would've been proud of you." Jerrick smiled. Scarface stood up and faced the people in the room. Jerrick didn't recognise anyone apart from Captain Jorgund. "Get to your dragons, we're heading back to base. I shall brief you guys on the way back." The people in the room left without another word. Scarface followed them, but just as he reached the door he paused.

"Jerrick," Scarface said. "Would you like to come along?"

"What for?" Jerrick asked.

"I can give you some time with Fury alone."

"Why do I want to do that?"

"To finish what you've started, perhaps?"

Jerrick was taken aback. What Scarface was implying was obvious. It felt weird however, hearing him say it. But Jerrick couldn't pinpoint exactly why it felt weird. No matter though, the offer was there. Scarface was giving him a chance to get revenge. He didn't need another moment.

"Let's go."

"Excellent." Scarface left the room, beckoning for them to follow. Jerrick led the way, with all his friends following closely behind. Kari ran forward and walked beside Jerrick.

"I don't like this," she said softly.

"What do you mean?"

"I have a bad feeling about this. There's something off that I can't particularly pinpoint." For a moment Jerrick wanted to say he felt the same way, but he thought better of it.

"What's wrong?"

"Okay, for starters, who asks a fourteen-year-old if he wants to… you know, finish a person? And we don't even know his name!" Kari was gesticulating with her hands quite rapidly.

"I think his name is Krogan." Jerrick said slightly louder. Scarface stopped walking and turned around.

"Did someone call me?" Scarface asked.

"I was wondering if your name is Krogan," Jerrick replied.

"It is. May I ask who told you this?"

"The bartender." Scarface hummed thoughtfully. After a moment, he continued walking. Jerrick stretched a hand to put over Kari's shoulders, but suddenly decided against it halfway through the act, leaving his hand dangling in a weird position. He placed it on Kari's nearest shoulder.

"It's going to be okay, Kari. Don't worry. We'll be fine."

"Just be careful, okay? You already have a massive wound on the back of your head, I don't want you to get injured further." Warm green eyes smiled reassuringly at him. They stopped outside a room near the staircase. Krogan signalled for them to wait outside as he went in. Alcoholic scents wafted into Jerrick's nose as the drunken chatter and laughter rose from down below. A short while later, a man hurried out of the room and headed downstairs. The armour display glinted in the light.

Suddenly, Jerrick remembered the medallion. He reached into his pocket and pulled it out. How it managed to stay intact despite everything it had been through baffled Jerrick. There were some mud stains on it after the night where Astrid found his medallion, but Jerrick had washed it and polished it as best as he could. Looking at it now, he could say he did quite a good job.

"This is for you," Jerrick said as he pressed the medallion into Kari's palm. "I know you have a whole collection of these in your home so here's another one to add to that. I think it suits you."

"Thank you." She was smiling, but her eyes displayed something different altogether.

"What's wrong? You don't like the medallion?" Jerrick asked.

"No, I like it," Kari said. "But it feels like… like a goodbye gift."

"It's not a goodbye gift, I promise. If anything, it's the complete opposite. It's an 'I promise' gift." Kari raised her eyebrows. "I couldn't find a better word," Jerrick said quickly. Kari rolled her eyes.

"Kari," Jerrick began softly. "I promise I won't do anything hasty. I promise I won't do anything that will harm us. I promise I'll always be here." Jerrick gave her a smile. Slowly, Kari returned her smile, but this time the smile was genuine.

"Just kiss already," Corey said, earning him a glare from both Jerrick and Kari.

The door to the room opened and Scarface came out carrying a large bag. They followed him down the stairs and into the bar. As they entered however, Jerrick noticed the atmosphere in the bar change. Conversations quieted down as they walked past, and the raucous laughter he heard earlier diminished slightly. Jerrick could feel eyes bore into the back of his head. He played it off, telling himself that it was the wound on the back of his head causing this. But even when he had entered earlier with the wound, the bar hadn't quietened down. The bartender that greeted him earlier was nowhere to be seen too, a younger one taking his place instead.

Jerrick felt a huge sense of relief when they exited the bar. The cold wind refreshed their lungs as they walked behind Scarface. Scarface, or rather Krogan, led them to the edge of the island where a few Singetails were chained. Jerrick almost flinched when their yellow eyes flicked onto their group as they approached. Those eyes looked cold, almost threatening them to stay away.

Standing next to the Singetails were the very dull and very lifeless Yakfeet and Blondhead. They made no indication that they existed as the group approached. It wasn't until Krogan spoke to them then they began to use the oxygen they breathed in meaningfully. They mounted on the Singetails and waited for something to happen. How could someone live their entire life like this?

"Get on," Krogan said as he mounted a Singetail. Jerrick wanted to say he had a dragon of his own, but he hesitated. He didn't know why he hesitated, a gut feeling simply told him to do so. Should he mention Rockcrusher? Scarface was looking at him, waiting for him to say something. Jerrick had to make a decision.

"Coming," Jerrick said as he mounted the Singetail behind Krogan.

XX

Heavy thuds resonated outside Gothi's hut the moment Hiccup finished treatment for his shoulder. He let out a deep sigh. There wasn't a moment's respite. He wasn't surprised when his teammates strode into Gothi's hut. But he was surprised to see anxious looks on their faces.

"What's wrong?" Hiccup asked.

"Jerrick escaped," Astrid growled.

"How?" Hiccup asked.

"He had a dragon, Hiccup," Fishlegs said. "A Gronckle, if my deductions were correct."

"And he was working for Krogan," Astrid said. Hiccup could no longer hide his shock and surprise.

"How do you know that?"

"He had a copy of your plans," Astrid replied. A million thoughts began to race through Hiccup's mind, but among all of them one of it stood out the clearest.

"We need to attack before Krogan can counter the plan," Hiccup said firmly.

"Hiccup, you're in no state to go anywhere," Astrid said.

"There's no choice, Astrid, we have to attack quickly. Besides, this splint will hold my shoulder steady."

"You can't fight like this!" Astrid protested. But her protests fell on deaf ears. Hiccup's face took on a hard look. A sense of finality flickered into his eyes.

"There's no choice. We have to attack quickly. Get the A-team ready and gear up. We leave tonight."


	13. Chapter 12: Playing

**Chapter 12: Playing**

The tall island with sheer drops into the sea stood alone. Even the closest island to it was at least fifty kilometres away. Long caverns and tunnels spanned across the underside of the island. Ever since development began on the island a few years ago, the vegetation had grown sparse. Tall luscious vegetation used to cover the island for hundreds of years, but the only evidence for this was the small forest on the east side of the island. Green grass still covered the island, but gone were the tall trees and thick bushes.

The sun was slowly setting below the horizon, painting a very beautiful picture. An orange glow illuminated the sparse trees and cast long shadows at the entrance to the tunnels.

The island had a name, but that name was long forgotten. People simply referred to it as the island that no one went to. Even with the development, no one wanted to visit the island. After all, bad the steep cliffs into the sea and the menacing bola launchers and catapults by the edge of the island, there was the very prevailing fact that the island was the base of the dragon hunters. Visitors were welcomed, but only during dragon auctions and other events.

Krogan walked along the island that was home to his headquarters. Hiccup and the dragon riders would be here soon, Krogan knew. A thick bush just outside the entrance to the caverns stood still despite the cold wind blowing. Empty dragon cages leaned against the rocky face of the mountain. Above the entrance, a large boulder stood on a small ledge. Yet another large boulder was resting a little distance away from the entrance. Everything was ready for Hiccup to come.

Speaking of which, loud cries could be heard from the edge of the island. His scouts. The riders were here. Just as he ordered, his scouts came running past him and straight into the caverns. They took up defensive positions at the entrances; five people standing in a W formation, front three people shields raised and the back two people bows drawn. Each of the two entrances had this formation. Krogan smiled. Everything was coming to perfection. He took one last glance at the darkening sky. Vaguely, he could make out dark specks that occasionally blocked out the sparkling stars. The riders were definitely here. It was time.

Krogan retreated into the tunnels.

XX

Hiccup wasn't surprised when he spotted the outposts running back into the tunnels. They would have been extra vigilant after discovering his plan. Hiccup gave Gustav a signal. Gustav nodded, and the A-team surged ahead to their positions. With just the original dragon riders left, Hiccup awkwardly signalled to fly low with his weaker hand. He scowled at his left hand that was trapped uselessly in a cast. It couldn't even grab Toothless for stability. Hiccup tightened his core as Toothless swooped down.

The island's surface drew up below them. A large wooden dock with a few ships moored there whizzed past below, green grass quickly taking its place. The entrances to the caverns were right in front of them. Each entrance was being guarded by a heavily armed team of five. It looked like Krogan's plan was just to fend off their approach, Hiccup reasoned.

"He's just defending the tunnels!" Snotlout called out. Hiccup nodded. Deep down though, something felt off, but he couldn't pinpoint it.

"Perhaps he's not ready for us to attack," Fishlegs observed. Hiccup figured his explanation made sense. If that was the case, it would be a huge boost to them. But it did little to soothe Hiccup's worries. Hiccup ignored the feeling, however. He didn't drag them all the way here to retreat.

"Remember the plan, guys!" Hiccup called. They nodded, and pulled on their gas masks. They split into their two groups. Astrid had adamantly refused to allow Hiccup to participate in the fight, but she had allowed him to lead them. Hiccup hung back as the first riders threw the Zippleback gas canisters at the entrance. The hunters coughed and backed up. The archers fired their arrows, but the riders dodged it easily. It was almost as though they weren't trying to hit them. The number of hunters was much lesser than he predicted too. They threw more canisters as the hunters continued to back off. Arrows flew in their direction, but none of them came close to hitting any of the riders. The arrows bounced peacefully off the rocky walls of the caverns.

The riders kept up the momentum, pushing the hunters further and further back. A few hunters deeper in the tunnels joined in the battle as they progressed, but all they did was join in the retreating force. For all the firepower and weaponry they had, they couldn't get close to the riders at all. Hiccup briefly wondered if he had given the hunters more credit than they had deserved.

The fight had progressed beyond the widest cavern and into the final stretch of tunnels. And yet, the fight had barely taken anything out of them. It was easy. Almost too easy, as though they were playing a game with children. Krogan simply didn't have enough people to resist. Most of the hunters must have dispersed after the battle at Berserker Island, Hiccup reasoned. He kept his eyes peeled for Krogan, but he saw no sign of him yet. He definitely saw Krogan run into the tunnels earlier. Hopefully the A-team had caught him.

But little did the riders know, the battle was just beginning. The riders had been so absorbed in their assault, that they had failed to notice the hunters hidden outside the tunnels where they began their fight. As the riders advanced through the tunnels, the hidden hunters sprang to life. The thick bush rustled and gave birth to a bunch of archers. Another rogue group emerged from behind the empty dragon cages, bows drawn and ready. Even more hunters emerged from behind the boulder on the ledge and the boulder on the ground, dragon root arrows behind their backs and bows in their hands. With minimal noise, they advanced through the tunnels quickly.

Meanwhile, the dragon riders were reaching the other end of the cavern. The hunters kept up their steady retreat, shields held high and arrows being shot back uselessly. Just a few more meters and the A-team would drop a net on them.

Suddenly, a loud battlecry rang out from behind the hunters, and a swarm of hunters stormed in from behind the defending groups. Where had they come from? Hiccup felt his heart sink. The new hunters were heavily armed too. All of them had weapons, and the majority of them were carrying bows or crossbows.

"Get them!" A tall and powerful man shouted. The hunters let out a rousing cheer, and began to fight back. Arrows flew at them with a renewed ferocity. Swordsmen pushed forward, shields raised to fend off any fiery attacks. The Zippleback gas canisters lay forgotten on the ground. The whole dragon hunter army was pushing through the gas. Anyone who stumbled and fell were trampled on. Hiccup's worst fears were confirmed. They weren't that easy to fight, they were merely pretending. Hiccup had thought that the riders were playing with them. But it was them who had been played.

"Retreat!" Hiccup yelled. The riders didn't need a second invitation. They spun around and flew back…

Only to be greeted by another group of hunters. Hiccup froze. They drew their bows and prepared to fire. Dragon root arrows. These arrows would knock their dragons out immediately. Perhaps they could fight their way out? Hiccup glanced around. No, it was impossible. There were too many of them. They were surrounded. They were doomed.

"Hiccup!" A familiar voice called out. The voice was deep and smooth, and laced with a foreign accent. Krogan. A path cleared through the hunters and Krogan walked calmly through them. He had a huge ugly scar on his face, cutting cleanly across his nose. Hiccup recoiled slightly at the sight of it. Krogan walked coolly towards them, a wide and smug grin plastered on his face.

"We meet again, Hiccup. I see you had an accident," Krogan said, eyeing his sling. Hiccup glared at him. Krogan chuckled. "Your plan failed, Hiccup, as it always does. As you can see, you're surrounded." He stretched his arms wide open and gestured to all the hunters in the cavern. "Surrender!"

"Never!" Astrid barked back. "We'll fight all the way!"

"Even though I have so many men with me?" Krogan said, amusedly. "You don't stand a chance. Besides, if I need to, I wouldn't hesitate to run an axe through your thick skulls." He smirked. Hiccup scowled at him, but he knew Krogan was right. They were severely outnumbered and surrounded. Archers were training their arrows on the riders. At the order of Krogan, each dragon could have five dragon root arrows fired at them. And that wasn't even counting the crossbows. The other riders were looking at him, waiting for a move. Krogan was waiting too. It didn't help that he kept saying "Well?" or "What's your move?" There were so many moves he could do, but all of them - bar one - would lead to certain death or further injury. Besides, the A-team's lives depended on him too. Hiccup closed his eyes and sighed. There was no choice.

Slowly, he dismounted from Toothless, all the while making sure his left hand didn't hit anything. He refused to wince or hiss in pain when his shoulder jolted from the landing. He glanced at the other riders. They got the message. Reluctantly, they all joined him on the ground and raised their hands. Toothless warbled curiously and began to prepare a plasma blast in his mouth, but Hiccup stopped him. Fighting back would make it worse. At least for now.

With a nod of his head, Krogan motioned for the swordsmen to capture the riders. They advanced slowly, keeping their shields raised all the way. The archers trained their bows on the riders too in case they tried anything. But they didn't. The dragons didn't resist as they were muzzled. The riders remained silent as their hands were bound tightly behind their backs. Only Astrid screamed death threats and pulled against the ropes when they forced Hiccup's hands behind his back. Hiccup couldn't stop himself from hissing in pain. Krogan laughed. He had won. The riders were captured.

Like a trail of ants, the dragon riders and their dragons were marched out of the tunnels. Krogan's ugly scarred face twisted into an evil grin. The riders were his. Hiccup was finally his prisoner. How he had longed and dreamed for this day. Vengeance had been on his mind ever since Hiccup became his enemy. Hiccup was going to suffer a slow and painful death. He would see to that.

Barking instructions to his men, he ordered the riders and dragons to be caged in separate cages. Their hands were to be chained to the roof of the cages. Search them thoroughly too, make sure they didn't have any hidden weapons or tools. Astrid's boots produced a vast plethora of knives and daggers, while Hiccup and Snotlout had a hidden dagger each. Krogan smiled cruelly when Hiccup cried out in pain. His shoulder was clearly causing him a lot of discomfort. He would definitely put that knowledge to good use. But first, he had a promise to fulfil. Jerrick wanted to talk to Hiccup. He wouldn't deny the boy his request. What harm could come from it?

XX

Jerrick sat quietly in the hull of a ship. He had heard the heavy wing beats when the riders flew over the ship. But since then he hadn't heard anything. They were told to stay down there regardless of the situation.

"This sucks, why can't we go out there?" Dustin complained.

"We might get in the way of their fight," Corey offered.

"I'm going to take a peek outside," Dustin said. He walked to the door, but it suddenly opened. Dustin had to jump back to avoid getting his face slammed. Krogan walked in, dark brown eyes scanning the room before a triumphant smile appeared on his face.

"Got them!"

Jerrick smiled. The others burst into cheers. The whole mission at Berk had been a success. Jerrick felt glad that interacting with the riders, no matter how tiring it got, had paid off in the end.

So why did he still feel some apprehension?

"Do you want to talk to him?" Krogan looked at Jerrick. He nodded. Krogan walked off, and Jerrick followed him. At the last moment, Jerrick paused at the door.

"What's wrong?" Kari asked. Jerrick turned slowly.

"Come with me?" Jerrick asked Kari gently. Usually bold and confident, Jerrick had an unusual vulnerability in his voice. Dark brown irises seemed to plead with her. Kari nodded and followed him.

The duo caught up with Krogan. Krogan led the way off the decks and onto the island. Armed guards stood at regular intervals on both sides of the wooden deck. At the top, gravel paths criss-crossed across a large grassy plain, lit torches illuminating their way. A thick forest lay off to their right. It could provide good cover if they ever needed to hide. The fire in the torch cackled. The flames danced in a manner that seemed quite hypnotic. Jerrick briefly remembered that he was almost on the wrong end of the fire.

Eventually they reached something large and squarish that had a tarp wrapped over it. The tarp was way too big for whatever was underneath it, in fact, the excess tarp - which was neatly folded at the back - could hide a few people in there. The two guards standing there pulled back the tarp, revealing a dragon cage underneath it.

But it was what was inside the cage that made Jerrick feel a surge of hatred.

Hiccup was there, chained painfully to the roof of the cage. Both hands were stretched to their limit. Hiccup was trying to take as much strain off his left hand, using his right hand to try and loosen the chains on his left hand slightly. Krogan had really gone out of his way to make Hiccup feel pain.

"I'll leave you two alone," Krogan said as he opened the door to the cage. He signalled to the other two guards, and they left. Kari gave him a worried look that clearly meant "Do you really want to do this?" Jerrick glanced at Hiccup briefly, and nodded determinedly. Kari took a few steps back. Jerrick entered the cage.

Now it was just the two of them. Jerrick and Hiccup. Hiccup and Jerrick. Hagen Brandt's son and murderer. Jerrick glared at him. Hiccup's cold, defiant eyes glared straight back. The gall of this person! Jerrick clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles began to turn white. Anger built in him like a volcano bubbling and waiting to erupt. Jerrick saw red. At that moment there was only one thought in his mind, and that was revenge on Hiccup. His blood boiled simply looking at the man.

Jerrick couldn't hold it in any more. With a vicious snarl, he swung his fist at Hiccup's rebellious face. His fist connected sweetly, burying itself into Hiccup's cheekbone with a satisfying thud. The chains jangled and held firm as Hiccup was flung by the force of the punch. He yelled in pain. Jerrick massaged his fist. He thought he heard Kari gasp behind him. Jerrick waited a few moments for Hiccup to catch his breath. It was time to get some answers.

"Why did you do it?" Jerrick snarled. Hiccup glared back at him. He made no sound other than his heavy breathing. A look of blatant defiance and stubbornness was plastered on his face. Jerrick's blood boiled. Unconsciously, he tightened his fists again. "Talk to me!" Jerrick yelled.

"I'll never talk," Hiccup said in between deep breaths.

"You think you're so high and mighty, don't you? You think you can get your world peace and whatnot by killing? I've news for you, idiot. You can't." Hiccup's eyes softened. He raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb. You know exactly what I'm saying."

"Who did I kill?"

"There's so many you don't even remember?" Jerrick sighed and shook his head exasperatedly. Hiccup was much worse than he thought. Didn't he say he didn't like to harm people? Was that all a lie? Or perhaps he was telling the truth… Jerrick tried a different approach. "You killed my father." Hiccup looked blank.

"When did I do that?"

"Two years ago. You hunted him down and killed him."

"I never did such a thing."

Jerrick's blood boiled. He swung his fist again. Jerrick's hard knuckles snapped cleanly into the soft part of Hiccup's cheek. Hiccup yelled in pain. Jerrick cringed inwardly when he heard Hiccup cry out. The punch was purely a reflex action, Jerrick told himself. Jerrick shook his head again. Why did he need to reassure himself about punching his father's killer?

"Well you did. You hunted him down using dragons."

"I would never do such a thing."

"Then who did?" Jerrick waved his hands around. "Astrid? Snotlout? Which one of your cronies in your little group of terrorists did it?"

"Terrorists? Do you really think we're terrorists?"

"You don't think you're terrorists? Killing people to achieve a human-dragon utopia? Isn't that what terrorists like to do? Kill to achieve something?"

"I've never killed anyone. We don't kill."

"Then who killed my father?"

"It wasn't me."

"Then who? Who?" Jerrick gripped the collar of Hiccup's tunic as he screamed the last few questions in his face. Hiccup winced and hissed as Jerrick rattled him around. A strong feeling of guilt suddenly came to Jerrick, and he released Hiccup. Jerrick stared at his hands guiltily, as though wondering how it had managed to move by itself. The auburn man took a few deep breaths to steady himself.

Jerrick sighed. "I don't care what you think you are," Jerrick began in a calmer tone. "I don't care if you think you're terrorists or peace-nuts or whatever. You still killed my father. You killed my dad. How would you feel if someone killed your dad?"

"Who told you that I killed your father?"

"Krogan."

"And you trust him?"

"Why shouldn't I? My father was in his army."

A look of realisation suddenly appeared on Hiccup's face. "Your father worked for Krogan?"

"You have a problem with that? Do you feel happy killing him now?"

"No, not at all. I would never feel good killing someone."

"Then why did you do it?"

Hiccup paused. "How did he die?" Jerrick clenched his fists, but Hiccup interrupted him. "Jerrick, I want to help you. Please. Trust me." There was a certain edge in Hiccup's voice that made Jerrick pause and think. Hiccup's voice was warm and kind, begging to be trusted.

Jerrick sighed. "Dragons killed him."

"What dragons?"

"I don't know. There were small pricks in his arms and singe marks on his chest though."

The thoughtful look returned to Hiccup's face. "The small pricks sound like the work of Speed Stingers. Not sure about the singe marks though."

"What do Speed Stingers look like?"

"Small, stinger on their tail, fins on their head, run on two feet, clawed front paws, have you never seen a Speed Stinger?"

"Never heard of them."

The duo lapsed into silence. Finally, Hiccup spoke. "Jerrick, I think I know who killed your father."

"Who?"

"I think… Krogan did it."

Jerrick scrunched his fists, but Hiccup spoke before Jerrick could react. "Jerrick, wait, hear me out. Krogan is not who you think he is. He's a ruthless man who would kill people who got in his way. I've heard a story of a dragon hunter who died because he tried to leave."

"Why would he kill my father?" Jerrick demanded. "My dad never did anything wrong. He was a loyal soldier. He was a peaceful person. He was someone who just wanted to do the best he could in everything."

"Can you think of anything that could anger Krogan?"

Jerrick thought back. Did his father ever do anything wrong? Not as far as he remembered, but…

"There was one time my dad came back home looking quite worried. He had just returned after searching for dragons for two weeks. He told me that someone had opened the cages and all the dragons escaped. They came back empty handed."

Hiccup winced a little when Jerrick said that. "That could be it," Hiccup said. Jerrick noticed that Hiccup tried to keep his tone as neutral as possible.

"But that happened quite a while before my dad died. Why would Krogan kill him later on?"

"Maybe it happened again? Look," Hiccup continued quickly, changing the topic. "The truth is, I'm not sure. I can't say for certain that Krogan was the one who did it. But there's a good chance it might be him."

A tense silence filled the air. Jerrick glared at Hiccup. As much as he didn't trust the man, something in him told him to give Hiccup a chance. Jerrick sighed and relaxed. Jerrick was at a loss. Could Hiccup really be telling the truth?

Jerrick's mind began to piece together what he had seen, as though it was forming a case for both sides. First up on the checklist was Krogan. The incident at the weapons merchant, Krogan's uneasy vibe when they first met him. His odd behaviour when they met him again at the Northern Markets, and the way the bar quieted unusually when he appeared. There was the disappearing bartender too. Next on the checklist was Hiccup. Hiccup's cold gaze when he met him, and Astrid's icy, rage-filled glares. But then there was the time when Hiccup saved him from torture too, and their general hospitality to him. Jerrick tried to find a positive side of Krogan, but nothing came to his mind. Everything they did with Krogan relied on them trusting what he said wholly. Could Hiccup be right?

Jerrick clenched his fists. The seeds of doubt had been sown. Now Jerrick had to decide whether to nurture it or uproot it.

"You better be right about this," Jerrick warned sternly. "If you're wrong, I'll behead you and your whole terrorist group myself. Am I clear?"

"Crystal." Hiccup forced a small smile. Jerrick stormed out of the cage and stalked off. Kari had to quicken her pace to catch up with the confused boy. There was a tense silence as Jerrick brooded over all that just transpired.

"How'd it go?" She asked after a while.

"It's a mess," Jerrick said. "First he doesn't know what I'm talking about, then he says that Krogan might have been using us all this while."

There was a mixture of emotions on Kari's face. "How are you taking it?" She asked at last.

"I don't know," Jerrick admitted softly. "I don't know what's right and wrong any more. But I do know that I'm going to get some answers later. And hopefully we can put this thing to bed."


	14. Chapter 13: Vicious Interactions

**Chapter 13: Vicious Interactions**

He shivered. The tarp did nothing to keep out the icy cold. In fact, it simply made it worse by keeping out the sunlight. The hunters had really done a thorough job searching him. All his armour had been removed, leaving him in a simple red tunic and brown pants - which didn't really help to keep out the cold too. He winced as he shivered. Vibrating his arm caused the chains to pull on his shoulder. The hunters really hadn't bothered sparing him any pain. Who comes up with such a cruel idea of chaining someone with a broken collarbone to the roof of the cage?

Just then, he heard the sound of footsteps approaching his cage. He steeled himself and wiped all emotion from his face. Showing pain would just be a weakness. The tarp was pulled off the cage, and immediately a cold wind blew against his body. A vicious shiver travelled through his body unconsciously. Maybe the tarp was helping to keep out the cold.

His stubborn green eyes locked with mocking, evil, sadistic brown eyes. A smirk plastered on his scarred face, the cold-blooded hunter leader entered the cage and stood directly in front of him. His scar moved up and down as the man let out a chuckle.

"Feeling a little frosty, Hiccup?" Krogan mocked. Hiccup didn't respond. Defiant eyes glared straight at Krogan. Krogan's expression didn't change. Suddenly, without any warning, Krogan squeezed Hiccup's collarbone. A wave of blinding pain exploded in his shoulder. His whole arm burned. His vision went white. For a moment, all that he could think of was the sheer white-hot pain that decimated his whole body. His head throbbed. After what felt like an eternity, the pressure was released. Slowly, he regained his senses. He hadn't even realised how loudly he had screamed until he felt his throat hurt. Panting hard, he began to focus his thoughts on Krogan again. Krogan didn't change his expression, the small smirk still plastered on his face.

"You would know better than to defy me in this situation," Krogan warned.

"Where are my friends? And our dragons?" Hiccup asked, keeping his glare.

"Locked up in cages."

"I want to see them."

Krogan chuckled. "You're in no position to make demands." Krogan suddenly leaned in close. Hiccup felt his warm breath on his face when he exhaled. "Where is the Dragon Eye?"

Hiccup glared at Krogan. Krogan raised his hand, and Hiccup's heart rate tripled. "Wait!" He called out. Krogan lowered his hand and smiled. Hiccup drew in a deep breath. "It's gone. I destroyed it." Krogan's hand dropped, much to Hiccup's relief. But the relief was short-lived when Hiccup saw Krogan's face darken. His smile disappeared.

"You destroyed it?"

"Yeah."

"Why did you do that?"

"I figured it was too dangerous to be left alone." Hiccup took a deep breath. "In the wrong hands it would be bad. So I destroyed it."

"Well this changes everything."

"Why are you searching for it again after stopping for a while?" Krogan eyed Hiccup through the side of his eye. For a moment Hiccup feared for his collarbone, but Krogan must've thought better of it, because he simply cleared his throat. "Do you know how I got this scar?" He pointed to the one thing on his face that nobody would miss. Hiccup shook his head as gently as he could.

"Let me tell you a story."

XX

Krogan's heart sank as he watched Drago sentence him to death. Drago's dark, menacing chuckle rang in his ears as the men on both sides of him grabbed his arms and dragged him away.

"Wait, Drago, please!" Krogan pleaded. "I will not fail you again!"

"No one fails me twice!" Drago barked.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Krogan felt his heart rise into his throat. He yanked his hands, but the men holding his arms had strong grips. Krogan knew what they were going to do; fling him off the side of a jetty into the freezing waters, hands and feet bound and tied to a heavy metal ball. Just thinking about it made Krogan's hands sweaty. He yanked his hands again, but it was pointless. The men had iron grips. He struggled again. There was no way he was going to die today. He was the mighty Krogan! Whoever dared to stand in his way would die. And a new name had just been added to that list.

He forced himself to calm down. If he wanted to escape he needed to keep a cool head. Krogan played the scenario in his head. The two men would continue to drag him away until they reached the edge of the dock. At that point, they would call some other people to guard him. They wouldn't start to tie him up until the others arrived. That meant that there was a brief period of time where he would be alone at the edge of the docks with only two enemies. But that time period wouldn't be too long. He had to strike quickly. Krogan let the men drag him away. He pretended to struggle a little so as to not raise any suspicions. He even spat on one of the men. The man scowled at him. Krogan smiled a little. Angry people tend to make more mistakes.

They reached the edge of the dock. The two men pushed him onto his knees and one of them held his arms behind his back firmly. Nothing could prevent them from completing their execution.

But Krogan could. In one swift move, he jumped onto his feet and leaned back with all his weight. The man holding him was caught by surprise. Krogan landed heavily on him. The man groaned loudly. Krogan spun to face the other man…

...who had his sword out. The man swung ferociously at Krogan. Krogan didn't have time to think. He leapt back. The sword narrowly missed his face. Krogan leapt back again. The blade whizzed past him. The man stepped forward, fury twisted on his face, preparing to thrust the sword forward. Krogan noticed his left side was exposed. He pounced. Sidestepping the swing, and leapt on the man. Grabbing his neck with both hands, Krogan pushed the man to the ground, grinding his thumbs into his windpipe. The man spluttered. He clawed Krogan's hands. He tried to prise them off. A bead of sweat stung Krogan's eye, but he didn't wipe it off.

Suddenly, the man's eyes lit up. He swung out his arm and a hidden dagger appeared in his hand. In one swift move, he pulled his hand across Krogan's face. Pain shot across his whole face. Krogan howled. Clutching his face, he staggered backwards. It felt like someone had torn his face open from top to bottom.

Focus. The man was still hyperventilating. He was vulnerable. Krogan took a step forward and lashed out at his head. A loud crack resounded across the still dock, and the man crumpled to the ground. Krogan took a moment to catch his breath. But time was running short. He was in no state to fight any more. He had to get out of there. He winced as a few stray drops of salty seawater sprayed into his open wound.

An empty ship was lying unattended by one of the ports. There were a few dragon cages loaded on it. A large sail had been attached as well. It was probably going to move out soon on another dragon hunting voyage, which meant that there had to be rations and other supplies on board. Perfect for escaping. Moving as fast as he could, Krogan headed to the vessel. After checking that the coast was clear, he jumped aboard the vessel. He wiped the blood around his eye and set to work undoing the ropes that fastened the ship to the port. It took longer than he expected. After what seemed like an eternity, the ropes finally gave way. Gratefully, Krogan pushed out to sea.

XX

"On that day, I made a promise to…" Krogan's eyes suddenly focused on something behind Hiccup. He trailed off, pausing for just a second. His eyes met Hiccup's again. "...to complete what I started. I have to find the King of Dragons. So there you have it. That's why I want the Dragon Eye."

Hiccup listened to all this in silence. The whole story made sense. It explained Krogan's disappearance and sudden emergence.

"So you came after me to find the Dragon Eye," Hiccup said eventually.

"No," Krogan said menacingly. "I came after you to get you."

Hiccup's eyes widened. "I don't understand, what do I have that the Dragon Eye doesn't? Why not go for the Dragon Eye instead of me?"

"The Dragon Eye is good, no doubt. But it only shows the last location of the King of Dragons. Where it is now, the Dragon Eye wouldn't show. That's why I wanted you. You would know where it is."

"So you sent a young teenage boy to come and capture me?" Hiccup knew he had to redirect the conversation to Jerrick if he wanted any answers.

"I didn't send him there. He wanted to go."

"Because somehow you convinced him that I killed his father." Hiccup's voice took on a matter-of-fact tone.

Krogan's scar lifted when he raised an eyebrow. "Do you honestly think you're quite the innocent person you think you are?"

Hiccup was confused. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You really think you're fighting for peace? Do you know how much damage you have caused?"

"You hunt dragons, I doubt you should be talking about peace."

"Contrary to what you think, dragon hunting isn't a crime. You think it's a crime, but it's not. It's a way of life. Dragon trade and dragon products are a big part of the economy. As much as you try to deny it Hiccup, there is still demand for dragon products. And this demand needs to be met. There needs to be sufficient supply. That's where we dragon hunters come in. All we do is provide enough dragons to meet the demand of the market."

"But dragons are smarter than you think. Dragons are…"

"Dragons are _animals_! Why should they be treated differently from a yak or cow or sheep? They are animals. _Animals_. They belong to us. We humans can do whatever we please to them."

"They're smarter than other animals! They have a mind of their own, they can think, they can make friendships with each other. They're more than just another animal."

"All animals can form friendships. All animals can think. All animals have a mind of their own. Open your eyes, Hiccup. Look at the world around you. The world doesn't revolve around you and your dragons. There are bigger things, more important things than you and the stupid dragons."

"Okay, if you say dragons are just animals and that's why you hunt them, then why do you kill people too?"

Krogan laughed. "Do you really think you haven't?"

"Of course I haven't. I don't kill people. All I do is free the dragons that you catch."

"What do you think happened to the dragon flyers you knock off the Singetails? They survive after falling hundreds of metres into the water?"

Hiccup fell silent. "I-I never thought about that."

"Of course you didn't. You don't look beyond yourself and your selfish desires. You would gladly kill if it meant that you would get the human-dragon unity you so craved."

"That's not true."

"Is it? You already killed people. What's another one?"

"I don't want to kill for peace to happen."

"Whether you want to or not is irrelevant. You already did. What does that make you? A terrorist. Someone who goes to extreme measures to force the world to change in a way that they want."

Hiccup fell silent again. Krogan's attention was drawn to something behind the chained man. He scrutinised the area for a moment. Satisfied with what he had seen, he returned his attention to Hiccup.

"Now then, if you don't mind, terrorist Hiccup, tell me where the King of Dragons is."

"If you think that I would just give up the location of the King of Dragons, I'm afraid you're gravely mistaken."

"I know that. I'm going to extract the information from you." Without warning, a hand suddenly came down onto Hiccup's shoulder. Hiccup drew in a deep breath before the pain blinded him. It shot up his arm like a lightning bolt. He screamed. The pain was unbearable. He felt nauseous. Just when he thought he would pass out, the pain lifted. He inhaled deeply, gulping down air by the gallon. His throat was hoarse from all the screaming.

"Where is the King of Dragons?"

"Go to hell." The hand clamped down on his shoulder again. He yelled. The pain ripped through his arm, tormenting his very existence. His mind exploded, and a whiteness took over his vision. But just as the welcoming darkness threatened to take over, the pain alleviated. Hiccup inhaled deeply again.

"The King of Dragons. Now!"

"Never." Pain came again, tearing every nerve ending in his arm. He screamed until his voice was no louder than a squeak. Fire burnt up and down his arm, reeling him into a blinding darkness. But once again, the pain lifted before he could slump into unconsciousness. His throat was dry as he gulped down the delicious air.

"Where is the King of Dragons?" Hiccup could feel Krogan's breath on his face.

"I'd rather… die than talk." Hiccup said amidst deep breaths. Krogan backed off a step.

"I was worried you'd say that. I didn't want to do this because I didn't want to stoop to this level but… circumstances have changed." Krogan snapped his fingers, and two guards appeared around the corner.

But it was who they had in their clutches that caused icy shivers to run down Hiccup's spine.

"Astrid!" Hiccup cried out.

"Hiccup!" Astrid said, before a fist connected with her face. She grunted in pain. "You bunch of yak-headed swines!" Hiccup gritted his teeth.

"Let her go!" He snarled. A ferocious fire burned in his eyes. His usually warm emerald green eyes took on a dark and stern look.

"If you tell me where the King of Dragons is, I would." Krogan's voice was unusually cool.

"I don't know where it is!"

"Maybe I didn't make myself clear. If you don't tell me where the King of Dragons is, she would not have a very fun time."

"Let her go!" There was a small trace of panic in Hiccup's voice, one which was very rarely heard. But still Hiccup's protests fell on deaf ears. Krogan motioned his men to proceed. They closed in on Astrid, and when Hiccup saw what they were doing, his heart sank.

They had taken off her clothes.

Hiccup knew what they were going to do, and he was helpless to do anything about it. He froze. His mind blanked. Everything else lay forgotten, apart from the horrific scene in front of his eyes. The small trace of panic was gone, replaced instead by full blown panic. His whole body chilled. For a brief moment, Hiccup's eyes met Astrid's fearful eyes. She never showed fear. She was fearless.

But she was fearful. Dread and horror consumed his whole body. His whole mouth went dry. A few tears began to leak from his eyes.

"No, no, no, no! Don't do this! Krogan, please don't!" His voice cracked a little. The panic and desperation in his voice was unmistakable. His whole body trembled.

"Tell me where the King of Dragons is."

"I don't know! I really don't!" Krogan didn't believe him. The men advanced. Astrid screamed death threats at the men. But she couldn't do anything about it. Terror consumed him. Tears flowed freely down his cheeks now. He shook the chains violently. He was a mess. "Krogan! Stop! Please! I'm telling you the truth! I don't know where it is!" Hiccup sobbed loudly. His broken shoulder was forgotten as the chains clanked loudly with every struggle he made. He stamped his feet on the ground rapidly, as though it would make a difference.

"Lies!" Krogan yelled back. "Where is the egg?"

"I don't know! Please!" Hiccup pleaded desperately. Loud sobs punctuated his pleas. His voice cracked. Hiccup trembled as he watched one of the men get dangerously close to Astrid. Astrid yelled at the man. He shook the chains again, hoping they would let him go. They held fast. He sobbed again. "Krogan, please don't do this! I'm telling the truth!"

"Who took the egg?" Krogan yelled.

"The Wingmaidens! They passed it to someone. I don't know who they gave it to! Please, let her go!" He was a bawling mess now. He had never felt so helpless and useless before, utterly powerless and unable to protect the girl he loved with all his heart.

Krogan inspected Hiccup. His loud sobs wailed around the island. His feet were tapping the ground urgently. He was struggling futilely with his chains, almost like his shoulder was never injured at all. There was no way he was faking this level of desperation and despair. It was the truth. Sighing, he motioned for his men to stop. He turned to face the crying boy.

"You have been very useful, Hiccup. Thank you for your help." Krogan flashed a wide smile, before his face became very serious. "Unfortunately, since you don't know where the King of Dragons is, I'm afraid that you're no longer useful. As a result, your time is at an end. I'm sure my men would like to see their arch-nemesis executed in front of them. How does tomorrow sound, Hiccup?"

Hiccup didn't respond. He couldn't stop thinking about what had just happened. All that came from him besides the tears was repeated mutterings of "I'm sorry Astrid." He didn't dare look into her eyes as they dressed her and pulled her away. Krogan smirked a little.

Without another word, he turned on his heel and walked out of the cage. The guards quickly shut the door and locked the terrified boy up. They pulled the tarp over the cage, muffling the lone sobs of a man who had just witnessed his worst fears almost come true. Chatter broke out between the two guards. The next day would bring an end to a war they had fought for way too long with the execution of their sworn nemesis. They couldn't wait.

But in the midst of their excitement, they failed to notice a young teen boy by the name of Jerrick Brandt sneak out from underneath the excess tarp and steal away into the darkness of the night.

XX

The guest house Jerrick, Kari and Corey shared looked warm on the outside, large wooden logs lining the walls, but in reality it was quite cold on the inside. The logs were uneven and there were a few gaps in the walls. It wasn't very cold, but it was chilly. Jerrick wondered if the house Dustin and Helka were given had the same issue.

Jerrick sat in a chair near the fireplace. It would be just a little too cold to sit anywhere else. Arms crossed, legs straightened, eyes unfocused, slouched in the chair, it was a typical thinking pose from Jerrick.

Kari walked through the living room for the umpteenth time. Her eyes glanced over to Jerrick and then back at wherever she was headed. To a certain extent it annoyed Jerrick, but at the same time he didn't have the heart to tell her off. He knew why she was doing this. Her slightly pursed lips and searching eyes told it all. For a split second Jerrick thought about telling her to stop, but he held back.

"Can't avoid the look of my body?" Jerrick teased. He stretched out his arms for good effect.

Kari's head flicked over to look at him, and for a brief moment her eyes examined his soul. But eventually she smiled and laughed, showing the dimples on her face. "Don't get your hopes up, you're not that hot."

"Not _that_ hot? So you're saying that I am hot." Jerrick shot her a smirk.

"You're so full of yourself, silly boy." Kari laughed.

"I'm silly? Remember the time you walked straight into a pond?"

"Hey! I thought it was solid ground!"

Their silly banter continued into easy conversation, and obviously with a few tickles here and there. It was just a typical 'Jerrick' thing to do. Before either of them noticed it, a whole hour had passed. It wasn't until the chit-chat slowed down that Jerrick realised how much he missed his normal life. Kari was sitting by his side, so close that their shoulders were almost touching. Talking with Kari was the first time he had felt genuinely happy since the whole affair started. Even when he had finally shot Hiccup, he hadn't felt happy. He hadn't felt anything, in fact.

"Are you okay?" Kari asked suddenly. Jerrick realised his face must have betrayed all that he was thinking.

"Yeah," he said subconsciously. Kari leaned her head on his shoulder. He turned and saw her searching eyes examining him. Jerrick sighed. "I'm confused," he admitted.

"You mean you don't know who's the one?"

"More than that. I don't-I don't know if I want this anymore." Kari stayed silent, indicating he should continue. "I hadn't realised how happy I was until this whole thing started. Sure, I've said that I want revenge and whatever. But this whole affair made me realise how great my life was, even without revenge. I didn't feel happy when I shot Hiccup, you know? I didn't feel anything, didn't even feel satisfied."

"But you're not sure who actually did it."

"Now I'm not sure. Back then when I shot him, I was sure it was him. Now… I don't know."

"Did it help, going back to the cages?"

"It honestly made things worse. Hiccup always said that he didn't like to kill people. It sounded so genuine that I began to doubt whether he could actually kill someone. But then I found out that he actually did. Not just one, in fact, there were a few, according to Krogan." Kari gasped a little. "Yeah, my reaction exactly." Jerrick chuckled. "I was actually beginning to think he didn't have it in him to kill people, but turns out he's a serial killer. He knocks people off dragons or something like that."

"But your father… he wasn't riding dragons, was he?"

"No, he wasn't. If he was he would've taken me for a ride already." Jerrick chuckled a little, and then sighed. "I don't know, Kari. It could be Hiccup but at the same time I don't think it is. My dad was hunted down by dragons, not knocked off one."

"Do you think Hiccup could be right?"

"About what?"

"About Krogan being the one who did it."

"Possibly." Jerrick placed both his hands over his face and groaned loudly. "This whole thing's driving me crazy, Kari. How about we just get out of here? Let's leave this island, go back to Breca, forget this ever happened?"

Kari removed her head from Jerrick's shoulder and backed up a little. Her forest green eyes looked surprised. "Just the two of us?"

"All of us. Let's go back and live life normally. Forget this ever happened. What do you say?"

Kari's face suddenly darkened. "No way! You're just going to leave everything behind? After all you did?"

Jerrick straightened up. "What do you mean? I don't mind going back now."

"And leave a man to die?"

"Hiccup won't die-"

"Yes he will, Jerrick," Kari interrupted him. "You heard what Krogan said."

"He's a terrorist, he deserves it."

"You don't even believe that."

"He can… find a way to escape then…" Jerrick said unconvincingly.

"With a broken shoulder? Listen to yourself!" Kari huffed.

"Kari, listen," Jerrick said. "Our lives were great before all this started. Let's just head back to Breca, forget all this happened. None of this will concern us in the future. We'll never talk to Krogan or anyone in his army ever again."

"Do you know what I like about you, Jerrick?" Kari stood up and faced him. "It's not just your witty sense of humour or your fun-loving nature, what I really love about you is your selflessness. You're always thinking about how to help others. But now you're not." Kari softened her tone. "I know this whole thing has been hard on you, but it's a man's life, Jerrick. And you know that you're the reason Hiccup is here right now. You can't just walk away from this if you have a conscience."

"I just wanted to undo all this," Jerrick explained, standing up and waving his arms around. He paced the room, the air thick from thought. Subconsciously he found his way to his bed and sat down heavily on it. "I don't know," Jerrick continued with a heavy sigh. "I was the one who dragged all of you into this, and I don't think that it's very safe being here anymore. I did promise I wouldn't do anything that'll harm you guys."

"You also promised that you'll always be here."

"I am here," Jerrick narrowed his eyes at Kari in confusion. "What's wrong with that?"

Kari looked away. "The Jerrick I know wouldn't say something like this. He wouldn't walk away when someone's in danger. Remember how you jumped in to save the merchant at the Northern Markets a few days ago? The Jerrick I know and love would do such a thing. Besides, we didn't get dragged into this. We chose to follow you. We're here for you, Jerrick. We can help you."

Jerrick leaned back on his elbows and stared thoughtfully at the ceiling. He hadn't noticed how willing he was to jump in and help. Frankly, that was the whole reason they were here. Maybe that would be his undoing in the future. Part of him still wanted to head back and fix everything. But Kari was right. Hiccup's life was in danger because of him, no, Hiccup was going to _die_ because of him. It was his fault. Was he going to let his actions cause the death of an inno- a man? He had to choose.

"Alright, we'll stay," Jerrick said, straightening up. "I'll try and find a way to bust Hiccup out, and then I'll decide what to do with whoever might be the real culprit."

Kari smiled. "That's the Jerrick I know."

Jerrick smiled, but it didn't quite reach his ears. Kari sat down beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"I still don't know who killed my dad. I mean, I don't want revenge anymore - I don't think, but it wouldn't hurt to know who actually did it."

"It's going to be okay, trust me." Kari squeezed Jerrick's shoulder gently yet firmly. Jerrick raised his head. Shining, uncertain black eyes belonging to Jerrick met Kari's warm, smiling green eyes. "You'll figure out who it is eventually. I'm glad you chose to stay here and do the right thing."

She was right. He was doing the right thing. Whatever he had done before could not be changed, but at least he could right his wrongs - if they were wrongs in the first place. It might not be completely successful, but he'll know he did his best. Kari's smile widened when Jerrick finally smiled.

"Thanks, Kari." Jerrick could feel Kari's warm breath on his face when she chuckled. Her face was close to his, far enough for nothing to happen, yet close enough to mean something. There was a sense of anticipation. Both sides waiting for something, but yet neither side initiating anything. They held their warm gaze for a few seconds longer than normal. His heart raced. How would Kari react? One way to find out. Slowly, he leaned his head forward. Kari did so too. Jerrick tilted his head to the right. Kari fluttered her eyelids, and closed her eyes. Jerrick did so too.

Then their lips met. The gentle touch of Kari's warm lips on his was indescribable. Every vein in his body ignited with a fiery passion, every thought in his mind surrendered itself to the dizzying sense of weightlessness in his head. A million words wouldn't be enough to describe how it felt. It wasn't until they desperately needed air that the two drew apart, smiling warmly at each other. Uncontrollable happiness flowed through Jerrick's whole being. Jerrick couldn't wipe the wide smile on his face that stretched from ear to ear. He shuffled closer to Kari, placing an arm around her shoulders. Kari rested her head on Jerrick's shoulder, as though it belonged there all the while. Her hand found its way to Jerrick's waist, and she held him close. The sweet scent of lavender tickled his nose as her long brown hair flowed down his chest.

Jerrick kissed her head, and Kari giggled. Suddenly being daring, Jerrick pulled her down onto the bed and twisted around, balancing himself on his elbows. A cute yelp of delight escaped her lips. Jerrick could feel her heart beat through the fabric of their tunics as his body lay perfectly aligned on top of hers. Her gentle breath tickled his neck as he leaned in to kiss her. Kari's arms wrapped around his chest and pulled him even closer to her. Her forest green eyes sparkled as he gazed into them.

"Hey Kari?" Jerrick said, placing his nose on hers.

"Mmph?"

"Did you say 'the Jerrick I know and love' just now?" Jerrick asked teasingly.

"Maybe, perhaps, I think I did."

Jerrick placed another kiss on her cheek. "Did you mean it?"

"I mean, I guess. I did mean it when I said I liked you when you're selfless." Jerrick felt a rush when Kari traced his jawbone delicately with her gentle fingers.

"Well, did you mean _it_?"

There was a brief moment of silence. Kari's fingers stopped stroking his jaw. Jerrick suddenly became worried. He had no idea if Kari felt the same way. He was quite sure, but he never heard it from her mouth. Was he being too pushy?

His thoughts were interrupted by Kari wrapping her arms behind his head and pulling his face down. She planted her lips on his. His mind blanked again, the only thought running through it being how lucky he was to have Kari. Jerrick drew in a deep breath when she broke the kiss.

"Yes, yes I did. I love you, Jerrick Thurmond Brandt."

Jerrick giggled and kissed Kari again.

"I love you too, Kari Iona Tordis."


	15. Chapter 14: Blood Eagle

**A/N: **This is probably my favourite chapter out of all. I hope you guys are enjoying this story!

* * *

**Chapter 14: Blood Eagle**

"Pass me another one!"

"Great day today, eh?"

"Give me back my axe!"

"Rough one over there…"

Jerrick stopped trying to listen to whatever the soldiers were saying. Raucous cheering and celebrations filled the caverns. Jerrick found it funny that the exact noise that had drawn him and his friends into the caverns initially was exactly what he was trying to drown out.

The largest part of the cavern had been converted into a makeshift bar. If the air there was musty enough just for the simple fact that it was in a cavern, the celebrations simply made it worse. Strong alcoholic scents wafted through the thick air, which made Jerrick's eyes water.

Jerrick led the way through the crowd as they tried to find a familiar face. Maybe then they would get some answers. A man bumped into Jerrick, spilling some sticky mead onto his arm. Jerrick scowled at his arm in disgust.

"Pardon me, lad." The man sauntered away, his alcoholic breath further contaminating the air. Jerrick glowered at the man. A few drops of the honey-filled drink dripped off his fingers. He wiped it off with his clean hand, but that was a mistake. Now both his arm and his hand felt sticky.

"Let it go," Kari said, putting a hand on his back. Jerrick shot another death glare at the man's direction, before allowing Kari to lead him away.

They continued through the large cavern. Jerrick walked with his arm hanging awkwardly by his side to avoid dirtying his clean tunic. It was his last clean one. The ones they had packed had been left behind on Berk. Alcohol continued to ooze through the thick air. Breathing in here was a chore. Maybe finding out the cause for celebrations could wait.

Just as Jerrick wanted to quit and head out into the clean air, he spotted a familiar face sitting by the counter, a mug in his hand.

"Captain Jorgund!" The man in question looked around with his shifty eyes for a moment, before finally settling on Jerrick.

"Jerrick! Good to see you, lad. Congratulations on a job well done. All of you." Captain Jorgund rose and shook every one of their hands, including Jerrick's. Jerrick had to contain his laughter when Captain Jorgund scowled at his own hand and tried to wipe the stickiness off his hand.

"What's happening right now?"

"A large celebration! To celebrate our victory over the dragon riders!"

"Where are they?"

"Rotting in a cage somewhere." Suddenly, Captain Jorgund turned to face Jerrick with harsh eyes. "Why do you care?"

"I don't." Jerrick shrugged. "I was just… wondering how they were spending their last moments." Captain Jorgund seemed to accept this answer. He leaned over the counter and spoke a quick word to the bartender. The man nodded and scurried off to a long table leaning against a wall. Weapons hung precariously over the table. All it needed was for the wind to blow strongly and an axe could slice off the bartender's fingers. This part of the makeshift bar must've been an armoury. A large crate stood beside the table. The axe and sword blades sticking out of the crate all but confirmed Jerrick's suspicions. One of the axes seemed very familiar. A second passed as Jerrick tried to recall where he saw it before. Then it hit him. Quite literally, in fact. It was Astrid's axe. The criss-cross pattern at the head of the axe was unmistakable. She had wielded it many times, even flung it at him. Jerrick figured the crate contained the dragon riders' items. He slotted this piece of information to the back of his mind. It might come in handy later on.

"How did you guys do it?" Captain Jorgund said, bringing Jerrick's attention back.

"We set up a camp outside the village. From there we went to the edge of the village every day and tried to get as much information as possible," Jerrick explained.

"That was the plan until Jerrick got captured," Corey chimed in.

"You got captured?" Captain Jorgund asked.

"Yeah, I was too close to the village and they spotted me."

"The others? Did they get captured too?"

"Thankfully they didn't. They only saw me." The bartender returned with five mugs and set them down on the table. Captain Jorgund waved his free - and probably slightly sticky - hand at them.

"For you all. To congratulate all of you for a job well done."

"Thanks, but I don't drink alcohol," Corey said.

"Which is why I got mead without alcohol. Drink up lads." Jerrick grabbed the mug and took a sip. There was the taste of slightly stale honey and a fruit that Jerrick couldn't particularly identify.

Suddenly, loud voices that somehow managed to drown out all the noise in the cavern rose from somewhere. "...time for… waiting… of the leader… Horrendous Haddock…" Jerrick couldn't make out what they were trying to say. It seemed like something important was happening though, because everyone started to head towards the exits.

"I think they're bringing out the dragon riders," Captain Jorgund explained.

"What for?"

Captain Jorgund cracked a smile. "Execution. Let's go." He rose from his seat and began to follow the crowd. A chill crawled down Jerrick's spine. He shared a few worried looks with his friends, but eventually they too left their mugs on the counter and followed the crowd. The crowd led them out of the caverns and to a large amphitheater. A cheery vibe could be felt from the crowd, but none of them shared that sentiment.

They finally reached a large circular amphitheater that seemed to carry with it all the eeriness that had occurred inside it. Somehow they ended up plastered between the large cheerful crowd and the looming walls. The walls of the amphitheater were a dull shade of beige. Cracks of various sizes and depths joined together to form weird shapes on the large walls. It was as if someone tried to carve the names of their victims on the walls, but he suddenly lost his sight and control of his hands. Jerrick plucked out a small piece of the wall and crumbled it in his hands.

It took Jerrick a few moments to realise that they were heading towards an entrance. For the size of this monstrosity, the entrance was surprisingly small. Only three or four people could fit in the doorway at one time. Why does a place as large as this have such a small doorway? Highly incompetent planning was probably the answer, Jerrick reasoned. Every doorway had a suffocatingly large group of people waiting to enter with no semblance of order. Jerrick was roughly jostled back and forth as he tried to enter. He turned around and reached for Kari's hand, offering as much help a small teenage boy could. She held his hand gratefully. Their eyes met for a brief moment and he smiled as warmly as he could.

After breathing in the same air that other people exhaled for way too long, they were finally in the amphitheater. It was just as large inside as it was outside. Seats stretched up a good twenty to thirty rows all around the circular centre stage. It could easily fit a few thousand people with space to spare. Captain Jorgund led them to the front rows. "All of you get these seats for your contributions," he explained. Jerrick knew he should feel some sort of gratitude, but he didn't. Neither did any of his friends, he could tell. No words were spoken between them, but Jerrick knew neither of them really wanted to be here. What had they gotten themselves into? What had _he_ gotten all his friends into?

Suddenly, the noise in the amphitheater stopped completely. Jerrick looked around, wondering what could have caused such a drastic change. That's when he noticed Krogan walking onto the stage. The power he held over them was shocking. It was almost like their very lives depended on them falling silent.

"Welcome to the moment all of you have been waiting for!" Krogan announced proudly. "Today marks the end of a war we have fought for way too long. Today we put an end to… the dragon riders!" The amphitheater erupted into loud cheering. Krogan's voice was way too cheery for such a thing. Stray thoughts floated around his mind, but Jerrick couldn't make head or heels about what they were trying to say.

As if on cue, a cage with a tarp over it was wheeled onto the stage. There had to be a larger entrance somewhere, because a cage of that size could not fit through the small entrances. Krogan nodded, and the tarp was pulled back. Jerrick caught sight of the dragon riders in the cage. The crowd cheered.

But Jerrick gasped.

The dragon riders were in horrible conditions. All of them were bruised and battered in one way or another, yet all their hands were still chained firmly to the cage. They couldn't run if they wanted to. All their clothes were slightly torn, as though they had been dragged across a layer of gravel. Snotlout, Fishlegs, Ruff and Tuff had a few bruises on their faces and a couple of cuts. Astrid had a black eye and a busted lip. Some blood stains were smeared on her face. But the worst of them all was Hiccup. He was their main target board. He had a black eye, a few bruises, and a broken nose. Even though his tunic was red, blood stains could still be clearly seen on it.

Jerrick gasped audibly. Nothing entered his mind except the horrifying state the riders were in, not even the loud jeering and whistles around him. Why would anyone do such a thing? Even if, _if_ they were terrorists, why would Krogan's men torture them? Information? Were there more terrorists around? Jerrick couldn't think of any reason to defend such a brutal beating.

A soldier opened the cage and two other soldiers strode in purposefully. All the riders yelled threats at the soldiers, but they all fell on deaf ears. Wordlessly, they picked Hiccup up by his arms and dragged him out. Jerrick watched as Hiccup's face contorted in pain when they dragged him to the centre of the stage. They kicked the back of his knees, and he fell painfully onto the cold ground. After chaining him to a heavy-looking slab in the centre of the stage, the soldiers left him alone.

Krogan leaned in close to Hiccup and said a few words. The noise made it impossible to hear him but Jerrick tried to read Krogan's lips. "I've been looking forward to this day, Hiccup," Krogan taunted. "Then of your riders." '_The end'_ was probably what Krogan said. It felt more fitting than 'then'. "How does it feel, Hiccup? To know you've launched the bowel you've four four sir lawn." Jerrick made a mental note to work on his lip reading. Hiccup glared at Krogan, but Jerrick could see the pain he was hiding beneath his strong exterior.

"Hunters!" The amphitheater fell silent. Krogan paused. A gleeful smile appeared on his face. "How shall we proceed?" His tone was surprisingly calm.

"Feed him to the dragons!" Someone shouted.

"That's too common! Break his leg first!"

"Cut off his hands!"

"Cut off his head!" A few people murmured their agreement.

"Skin him alive!" A few _oohs_ rang around the amphitheater.

"Hang, draw, quarter!" Even more _oohs_ rang around.

"Blood eagle!" The loudest of _oohs _rang out.

The blood eagle is one of the most barbaric ways of killing a person. The executioner would first rip off the flesh from the victim's back, exposing his ribs. Then his ribs would be detached from his spine using an axe, and his lungs would be pulled through the opening to create a gruesome pair of wings. It was a horrible and extremely painful way to go. Simply thinking about it made Jerrick nauseous.

But the crowd felt the opposite way. The noise in the amphitheater gradually rose as more and more people chanted their approval. A chant of "blood eagle, blood eagle" broke out somewhere in the amphitheater. Jerrick felt sick. Did Hagen Brandt really work with these people? There was no way his father was this cold-hearted. His father would never wish a horrible death on anyone. Jerrick's thoughts were drowned out by the chant growing louder and louder. Eventually, almost the whole amphitheater was in on it.

"Blood eagle! Blood eagle! Blood eagle!"

Hiccup couldn't hide his fear anymore. It was written all over his face. His eyes darted back and forth, looking at the people who hated him. He tugged the chains, but it held fast. Loud clunks resounded from the cage. The riders were desperately trying to escape their chains, some of them searching for something that could pick the lock, others simply tugging the chains with all their strength.

Krogan held up his hands, and the amphitheater silenced again. He stood there in silence for a moment, examining the crowd. Finally, he turned his attention to Hiccup.

"It seems like they want a blood eagle," Krogan said to Hiccup, but intentionally loud enough for everyone in the amphitheater to hear. "What do you think?" Hiccup didn't respond. Gone was the brave facade, replaced instead by raw terror at the prospect of a brutal and horrifying death. He tugged the chains again, only to be greeted with a disappointing clink. Krogan smiled. Evilly. He turned back to face the crowd.

"Blood eagle it is!" He announced in a proud voice. Loud cheering erupted. Jerrick's heart skipped a beat as the soldiers on the stage moved towards Hiccup. The poor man was paranoid. He shook his chains violently, but to no avail. The soldiers weren't fazed. They forced him to the ground and chained him such that he was stretched out on the ground with his arms stretched out. Jerrick's heart leapt into his throat. The riders were screaming their lungs out. Death threats, warnings, pleas, everything they could think off. Astrid even had tears rolling down her face. The crowd cheered the soldiers on. How could anyone enjoy something like this?

Enjoy.

That one word churned something inside Jerrick's mind. Krogan was enjoying this. Why would someone enjoy an execution? Jerrick racked his brains for an answer. He tried to think of his own reasons for hitting Hiccup earlier. Hiccup had killed his father. Jerrick had a personal vendetta against him. Did Krogan have one against Hiccup? Krogan was still grinning like a child who just received a Snoggletog gift.

Another thought crossed Jerrick's mind. Krogan had promised Jerrick that he would give him the honour of executing Hiccup. Quite a gruesome thought to think, but it was a promise. It wasn't fulfilled. Krogan hadn't honoured his promise.

Yet another thought. Krogan hadn't cared for them one bit. No questions asked about them, although they probably looked worse for wear. Even when Jerrick mentioned he was in prison, Krogan hadn't cared. No questions about him ending up in prison. Only about Hiccup's plan.

The realisation hit Jerrick like a hammer dropping on his head.

He had been used.

They had been used.

Krogan never cared about them. Krogan had simply used them to capture Hiccup. The false promises, the hidden emotions, everything played a part in convincing them. And it had worked. Krogan enjoyed tormenting Hiccup. Suddenly Jerrick didn't know whether Hiccup was as evil as he thought he was.

A cold sweat broke out on Jerrick's body as a soldier used a dagger to cut Hiccup's tunic off. One of the soldiers brought out Hiccup's flaming sword and lit it up. Jerrick knew exactly what they were going to use it for. They were going to use it to cut off the flesh from his back before chopping his ribs. An overwhelming sense of dread overcame Jerrick as he watched something that only happened in nightmares unfurl before his very eyes. Was he just going to sit here and do nothing about it? Was he really going to let a man die a grisly death in front of him? But then again, what could he do about it? He was one person. Five, including his friends. The number of soldiers in the amphitheater had to be in the thousands.

Suddenly, a thought struck Jerrick. All the soldiers were here. Probably. The beginnings of a plan started to form in his head. It was risky, but then again, when was anything he planned not risky? He would also have to improvise a lot on the fly. But Jerrick had more than enough information for the plan to work. Hopefully, he thought grimly. Speed would be key for this to work. Jerrick also had to hope that everything went exactly how he imagined it would.

"If I do anything, meet me outside the tunnels," Jerrick whispered to Kari.

"What?" She whispered back. But Jerrick didn't respond. His mind was already somewhere else.

The soldier with the flaming sword moved closer to Hiccup. Jerrick felt a sickening sense of dread grow in his stomach. The noise in the amphitheater grew even louder. How could someone cheer for this sort of thing? Jerrick watched as the soldier raised the flaming sword. The soldier double checked the positioning of his sword and prepared to drive it in.

"Stop."

That one word rang around the amphitheater like acid. The whole place silenced. A pin dropping could be heard from the other end of the amphitheater. The bewildered soldier turned around to face Jerrick. Every eye was on the teenage boy. Jerrick felt the weight of the world on his shoulders. A thick silence filled the massive amphitheater. It was so thick you could slice it cleanly with a knife. Or a flaming sword.

Krogan glared at Jerrick. Lips thinly pursed, eyebrows curled downwards in a scowl, as though he had just heard Jerrick insult everything he ever stood for.

"What do you want?" Krogan demanded. Jerrick rose from his seat. His heart was racing, but he forced himself to stay confident.

"Let me do it."

Jerrick didn't look around, but from all the gasps he heard, he could already imagine the shocked looks everyone was giving him. Kari touched his arm. She whispered an urgent "What are you doing?" but he didn't respond. Eyes hardened, Jerrick kept his steeled gaze on Krogan.

Krogan didn't react to Jerrick's words, at least, not outwardly. "Why do you want to do this? Don't you despise killing?"

"I've wanted revenge on the one who killed my father for two years. Now I finally have the chance to do so. Let me do it."

Krogan's brown eyes seemed to examine Jerrick. Jerrick refused to allow himself to crack. If he wanted this to work, he had to be confident.

"You promised me this," Jerrick pressed.

That seemed to do the trick. Krogan bore one last glare into Jerrick's soul, but he stepped aside.

Jerrick strode confidently onto the stage. His heart thumped against his ribs. He took the sword from the soldier and stood menacingly over Hiccup. Hiccup tried to turn his head to see Jerrick, but Jerrick refused to meet his eye. He didn't want anything to affect his resolve.

"Jerrick, please, don't do this," Hiccup pleaded, his voice trembling. Jerrick purposely kept his face blank. Nothing was going to stop him. He'd gone this far, he'll see it all the way through.

The soldier who handed Jerrick the sword stood close behind him, less than a step away. Two more stood slightly further behind by the cage. Jerrick did a mental estimate. They were about five or six steps away. Jerrick took a deep breath. Now or never. He raised the sword…

And spun around instantly, pressing the flat side of the blade onto the soldier's face. The scent of burning flesh filled Jerrick's nose. The soldier screamed and fell to the floor, clutching his face.

Jerrick didn't waste any time. He reached the other two soldiers before the first soldier even reached the floor. He slapped one of them with the flat of the blade. The soldier fell. Jerrick spun to face the last standing soldier, who had come to his senses. But Jerrick didn't stop. He drove the pointed tip of the sword at him as he was unsheathing his sword. He jumped out of the way and fell to the floor. Jerrick didn't spare him a second glance. He took off, heading towards the exit. The narrow walls around the exit felt like they were closing in on him as he ran.

Jerrick burst into the open. The noise in the amphitheater suddenly grew louder. They must have realised what had happened. A young teenage boy had betrayed them. He didn't need anyone to tell him how mad they would be.

The grassy plains he was running on was slightly damp from the morning dew. It wasn't helping him to run faster, but then again, it would give his pursuers trouble too. He controlled his breathing. Long distance running required that. And his destination might be far away. He really didn't know. He should have taken some time to check out the island the day before. But it was too late for that.

The dragon cages were his target. Freeing the riders' dragons was just one part of his plan. Jerrick thanked his lucky stars for his good memory. Krogan had mentioned that the cages were on the far end of the island. It was quite a run, but there weren't any dragons chasing him.

A Singetail roared in the distance.

Maybe there were dragons chasing him.

Jerrick swore and ran faster. His heart raced alongside his feet. He hadn't accounted for the Singetail. Judging from the loudness of the roar though, the Singetails were some distance away. The soldiers probably ran the opposite way to get to the Singetails, Jerrick reasoned. Hopefully that would buy him enough time. The cages couldn't be too far away anymore.

Jerrick rounded a corner and finally saw the dragon cages. Cages were scattered around in no particular order. Some had a few sad-looking dragons. A Nadder squawked lifelessly as Jerrick bolted past. Jerrick drew in a deep breath as he continued to run among the cages. Where were the riders' dragons? Finding anything in this mess was nearly impossible.

"Toothless!" Jerrick hollered. The Night Fury probably hated him. He would have to learn to get along if he wanted to see his rider alive though. There wasn't much choice. "Stormfly! Hookfang! Meat…loaf?" He didn't even try the names of the Zippleback, only remembering that it had something to do with vomit or puke. Wasn't it amazing how one's memory can remember everything except names?

Suddenly, Jerrick heard a sound that sounded distinctly like a muffled Night Fury call. He darted towards the sound. Within a few seconds he found three cages adjacent to each other. Much to his delight, Toothless was in the middle one, muzzled yet prancing around frantically. To his left and right were Stormfly and Barf and Belch. Jerrick congratulated himself for remembering their names. Using the flaming sword, he cut the lock on Toothless' cage.

Toothless pounced.

Jerrick gasped. His vision exploded into white. The wound on his head stung. He wanted to cry out, but large paws pressed heavily into his chest. Sharp talons stung his skin. Jerrick gasped. He couldn't breathe. He needed air. Toothless was going to kill him.

"Hiccup is in danger!" Jerrick blurted out. The heavy paws lifted slightly. Jerrick coughed and inhaled gratefully. Toothless' slitted eyes softened a little. "If you don't let me go, he'll die." Fierce green irises continued to pierce Jerrick's soul. Jerrick suddenly felt angry. A stupid indecisive dragon was slowing everything down. "Make up your mind already, donkey brain! Do you want Hiccup to live?"

That seemed to do the trick. Toothless leapt off Jerrick. He stood up and heaved a huge sigh of relief. "Go save him, he's at the amphitheater. Save him and run away." Jerrick pulled off the muzzle and waved him away. Toothless bolted.

Stars darting around his vision, Jerrick turned around and cut the locks on the other cages. His wound throbbed. Toothless pouncing on him must've hit him harder than he thought. The other dragons stormed out of the cages as soon as the locks fell. Jerrick removed their muzzles way too slowly for their liking. His trembling hands certainly didn't help. Every now and then Jerrick glanced into the sky. No Singetails yet. It seemed like an eternity passed before all the muzzles were gone. He waved the dragons off. They had to get to the amphitheater before it was too late.

Jerrick was already on the move again before the last dragon took off. His legs screamed for a longer rest. He ignored it. Speed was key, he told himself again and again. Run or fail. The wind howled past his ears. His next destination was the armoury that had been converted into a makeshift bar.

Jerrick glanced behind as he sprinted into the caverns. No Singetails. The thick smell of alcohol still lingered in the air. His legs were really screaming for him to take a break. There was no time for that, though. Jerrick had to get to the weapons.

Vaulting over the makeshift bar, Jerrick stopped at the weapons rack. His legs thanked him. How many weapons could he carry? He panted heavily as he sheathed a sword and an axe behind his back. Next, Jerrick glanced at the crate containing the riders' items. He rummaged through it for a brief moment while his legs rested a little. Jerrick pocketed a few things and grabbed Astrid's axe. Three extra weapons should be enough.

The roar of a Singetail echoed through the caverns.

Three extra weapons had to be enough.

Before running off, Jerrick swiped his hand across all the weapons. The weapons clattered loudly to the stone floor and echoed all around the tunnels. Immediately, Jerrick heard soldiers shouting out his position from one of the tunnels.

Satisfied, Jerrick sprang off and turned down the tunnel that led to the amphitheater. The weapons he was carrying were somewhat heavy, but nothing unbearable. Thankfully, the roar came from another tunnel. The sound of his own footsteps echoed in Jerrick's ears. Hearing one's footsteps was a sign that your legs were tired, he was taught. When this happened, you had to shut out the tiredness. Find motivation to keep going. Jerrick thought of his friends. He was doing this for them. To keep them safe. Why did he need to do this to keep them safe? If anything, they were safe until this happened. No, he was doing this because this is the right thing to do. Kari said so last night. Jerrick turned left. Kari. What did last night mean? It was definitely one of the happiest nights in his life. They kissed! How long had Jerrick been dreaming of this? Right turn at this junction here. He had been dreaming of this for almost as long as he knew Kari. She had to be his girlfriend, right? Gods, girlfriend. A Singetail roar echoed in the caverns. Jerrick sped up. That meant he was her boyfriend. Was he? Hopefully there'll be time to figure out what they were after all this ended.

The exit was close, so close that Jerrick could smell the air getting fresher. Breathing was getting easier. The walls of the tunnels seemed to weigh down on him. Kari and his friends should be outside waiting for him. There were four weapons, but five of them. Who wouldn't get a weapon?

Jerrick had little time to think about that, because loud shouts came from the exit.

The exit he was running to.

On instinct, he threw himself behind a rock and curled up into a ball, trying to make himself as small as possible. Being a small teenager definitely helped this time. His heart thumped in his ears as the rumbling of footsteps came closer. Jerrick didn't dare to breathe as the footsteps thundered past his hiding place. He could even feel the floor vibrate as they ran down the tunnel. Time seemed to take an eternity to pass, but eventually, the footsteps receded deeper into the cavern. Jerrick let a few seconds pass before he dared to peek out from the rock. The path was clear. He glanced behind. Seeing no one behind, Jerrick got up and ran to the exit. He was so close, he could smell the exit. One last turn, and Jerrick saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Bright and inviting, he sprinted towards the light. He ran through the opening…

And crashed right into a soldier running in. Jerrick's head hit something metallic. He cried out in pain and shock as he fell painfully to the ground. Stars danced across his vision. For a moment Jerrick was blinded. His head throbbed. Jerrick rubbed his bruised forehead.

The soldier though, was perfectly fine. He just seemed a little winded. It looked like someone had punched him lightly rather than ran into him at full speed. A look of surprise appeared on his face when he saw who had hit him. The very kid that they were searching for! How had he slipped past his own troops? That didn't matter though, because now they had Jerrick in their clutches.

Jerrick didn't regain his senses until the soldier was right in front of him. He gasped as the soldier stuck the tip of his sword right under his nose.

"Don't make any moves, kid," the soldier growled. The mole on his face danced around as he talked. Jerrick gulped.

"What's happening?" Jerrick asked.

"We're all searching for you," Mole said. "I don't know what got into you to do what you did."

"Well, now that you have me, what are you going to do?" Jerrick stalled for time, trying to think of what to do. He was seated on the floor, legs outstretched, which made moving around slightly harder.

"No idea, sir's orders were just to capture you alive."

Jerrick let a smug look cross his face. "Well I'm afraid you're too late." Jerrick looked over Mole's shoulder. "You came just in time," Jerrick said. Mole spun around, senses heightened, ready for an attack.

But there was no one there.

Immediately, the soldier knew he had been fooled. It was the oldest trick in the book. Pretend that there was someone behind your opponent. In the moment that the soldier turned around, Jerrick sprang to his feet and unsheathed a sword. He pulled it just in time to parry a strike. Heart pounding, Jerrick jumped back and narrowly parried another strike. Taking a step back, Jerrick tried to gain a foothold.

But he cried out as his foot stepped on a loose rock. Jerrick lost his footing and stumbled backwards. He scrambled to regain his footing. He managed to do so, but Mole had the upper hand now. Sensing a strike, Jerrick quickly hit the deck. Mole's strike went sailing overhead. Gut instinct told Jerrick that Mole was going to kick. Jerrick rolled to his right, expecting Mole to lash out with his right foot.

But Mole was left footed. His heavy boot crashed into Jerrick's shoulder as he rolled away. Pain cracked down Jerrick's arm like lightning, and he cried out. The sword clattered out of his hands. Jerrick clutched his shoulder and looked up. Defenseless and helpless, Jerrick found himself staring into the ugly and snarling face of Mole. The mole on his face seemed to let out its own ugly little smile.

"You know you could've made it easier on yourself if you had just followed orders," Mole said.

"Well, I guess I like things to be harder," Jerrick said sarcastically. Out of the corner of his eye, Jerrick spotted some movement behind Mole. He didn't look that way though, for fear that Mole might notice.

"Your smart mouth is going to land you in trouble one day."

"It already did, that's why I'm here." The light behind Mole grew darker.

"My boss is going to have-" A loud thunk interrupted Mole. He suddenly stiffened, crumpled to the ground and lay still. Jerrick couldn't help but let out a little laugh when he saw who it was.

"Kari!"

"Are you okay?" She asked, pulling him to his feet. The rest of his friends were behind.

"I'm fine." Jerrick rubbed his shoulder. "Grab a weapon, let's go." With Mole being knocked unconscious, there were a total of five weapons. Corey and Helka grabbed swords, Kari and Dustin grabbed axes, and Jerrick grabbed Hiccup's flaming sword. A cool weapon like this should be given a cool name. Inferno? That sounded nice.

Jerrick led the way out of the tunnels. Breathing in fresh air never felt better. Jerrick focused on the next task. The small tasks in his plan popped up in his mind like a checklist. Free dragons, save riders, check. Get weapons, check. Flee the island? In progress. Next checkpoint, the docks.

"Care to tell us the plan?" Corey asked as they began to jog towards the docks. Jerrick felt comfortable jogging, he hadn't seen or heard any more soldiers.

"We're escaping this place," Jerrick said. He glanced around nervously.

"Thanks," Corey said sarcastically. "How?"

"Through the docks. Have the dragon riders left?" Jerrick asked.

"Yeah, they took off immediately," Kari replied. "How are we going to escape? There's so many guards."

"Trust me," Jerrick said curtly. He glanced around, and was glad to see no soldiers.

The amphitheater loomed large on their right. Jerrick shuddered at the thought of what almost happened there. Bypassing it quickly, they continued their jog to the docks. It wasn't far away. In fact, Jerrick could see the wooden staircase leading to the docks up ahead. The thick forest Jerrick spotted the day before lay in front of them.

A Singetail roared.

Time was running out.

Jerrick sped up, and his friends followed suit. Weapons in hand, ready to fight if ever needed. They turned to run down the stairs, but at the last moment Jerrick stopped them.

"Hide in the forest. Make sure you can see me," Jerrick instructed them. They moved into the shrubbery, and within a few seconds they had disappeared. Even a keen eye couldn't have spotted them.

Satisfied, Jerrick began the last part of the escape plan. Taking a glance over the edge, Jerrick spotted a few guards stationed at the docks. There were exactly six of them on the docks. Jerrick backed away from the edge and turned around. About fifty meters in front of the staircase was one of the four entrances to the cavern. Jerrick didn't bother thinking why there weren't any soldiers here. All that mattered was that there weren't any soldiers here and it suited him. The situation was going perfectly.

Jerrick reached into his pocket and pulled out one of Hiccup's inventions. Earlier in the cavern, when Jerrick was rummaging through the riders' items, he had pocketed four Zippleback gas canisters, knowing full well how and when he was going to use them. Now was the time to do so. He opened them and flung two into the cavern. Green Zippleback gas quickly filled up the entrance to the cavern. Lastly, Jerrick grabbed Inferno, and pressed the button that lighted it up. The blade of the sword caught fire immediately. Warm heat danced close to his face. Jerrick took one last glance at the growing cloud of Zippleback gas…

And tossed Inferno in.

A loud explosion rang out across the island as Jerrick sprinted back towards the docks. The ground vibrated. Rocks began to collapse across the entrance. Ruff and Tuff would've been proud of this explosion. Jerrick took cover behind a large boulder. From his hiding spot, he could see the stairs to the docks clearly, but no one would spot him unless they decided to turn their head to the side completely. Jerrick's attention was on the wooden stairs now. Watching and waiting for all the guards to come up. One pair arrived and rushed to the entrance. The pair was quickly followed by another, and finally the last pair was up too. This was their chance. They had to move before too many soldiers came.

Jerrick waved his hand at his friends. They rose from their hiding spot and snuck onto the wooden stairs with him. None of the guards noticed the five teenagers sneaking down the staircase. When the guards disappeared over the edge of the island out of their sight, Jerrick broke into a run. They sprinted along the wooden deck, their footsteps thudding loudly. A commotion was starting to build near the collapsed entrance. But Jerrick wasn't worried about that. He knew that they would be firmly out of sight unless someone decided to deliberately go out of their way to peek over the edge of the island for whatever reason.

Corey was the first to break the silence. "How did you know they would run to the explosion?" Corey asked.

"I just guessed what they were thinking," Jerrick replied.

"What did you think they were thinking?" Corey pressed on.

"I assumed they weren't," Jerrick replied cheerily. "Come on." They sprinted towards the furthest ship.

Two guards clambered out of a ship. They screeched to a halt. Jerrick swore mentally. He hadn't considered that there may be some guards already searching the ships. This part of the plan depended on stealth. If they took out a few guards, soon the others would realise that they had escaped on a ship, and they would be caught in no time, especially with dragons. Maybe they had time to hide?

A look of recognition appeared on the guards faces, and they began running towards their group of five.

Hiding was out of the question.

"Attack!" Jerrick said sternly. He didn't have a weapon, having thrown Inferno into the cavern. He had to rely on his friends to beat the guards. Jerrick trusted them, they had trained together for nearly two years. But that didn't stop his heart from pounding his eardrums when the first strike happened. Metallic clangs rang around the place. Jerrick spared a few nervous glances behind. The other soldiers hadn't heard the fight. Yet.

It was a good thing they had the numerical advantage this time. Kari and Corey went for one of the guards, while the Sorenson siblings handled the other. The guards were large, bulky and beefy muscles bulging out from the armour they wore. Withstanding their strikes would take a lot of strength. But their large size meant that they weren't agile. That was something Jerrick learnt in the academy. His friends knew it too. With lightning quick pace, they began to circle around the guards. Kari and Corey charged at the bulkier guard. He sported an ugly scar on his arm. Scarred Arm swung his axe, but Corey dodged it expertly. At the same time, Kari danced around Scarred Arm and smacked his head with the flat of her axe. A loud thud rang out, and Scarred Arm collapsed to the ground. By the time Jerrick looked at Dustin and Helka, they had overpowered the guard they were fighting too. The fight was over before it had even begun.

"Good job guys," Jerrick said. He dashed forward and grabbed a sword from the fallen guard. "Let's go."

Jerrick led the way to the furthest ship. He undid the ropes fastening the ship to the dock as the others clambered in and raised the sails. The ropes took longer to untie than Jerrick would've liked. But eventually the ropes stopped struggling and gave way. Taking one final glance behind his back, Jerrick jumped into the boat. None of the soldiers had noticed their escape yet. The guards they just fought still lay unconscious on the docks. But Jerrick knew it was only a matter of time before they awoke and raised the alarm.

With one final glance back, Jerrick pushed off to sea.


	16. Chapter 15: Battle-Ship

**Reviews:**

**Icha: **It makes my day to see you're enjoying the fresh perspective this fic brings, thank you for your review!

**Creeper:** Thank you! I hope this chapter is detailed enough too!

**A/N: **The fic is coming to an end! There are only two more chapters after this one. Thank you for reading! Would you be interested if I made a sequel? I have a rough storyline in my head. If you would like one, the storyline would be quite basic, I'd admit. It also probably wouldn't be the most satisfying story. I merely want to practice my writing abilities while at the same time letting you guys have something that may possibly entertain you. Let me know if you're interested in a sequel!

* * *

**Chapter 15: Battle-Ship**

The worst feeling in the world is to know that something might happen, yet be utterly powerless to do anything about it. That's how Jerrick felt as the wind carried the ship away from the island. If Krogan and his Singetails came on board, they would be powerless to do anything. Jerrick didn't have a doubt that that was exactly how all his friends felt too. There was a tense atmosphere on board the ship, everybody on some form of heightened alert, aware that anything might happen.

The hull of the ship was dark. Small slithers of light managed to filter in between the cracks in the wooden planks, but other than that there was no light. They hadn't had a chance to light a torch before boarding. Jerrick and his friends kept their weapons close to them. Quite frankly, three swords and two axes were useless against dragons, but they just felt safer that way. They kept their ears peeled for any sounds. No one could relax on board the ship. Jerrick could hear his heart beat firmly in his ears.

"Since we're stuck here, let's take a look at what the ship has," Dustin suggested. Jerrick didn't see any reason not to. It might help to ease his worries too.

"Dustin and Helka, check out what's behind that door." Jerrick pointed to a door at the end of the corridor. "We'll look around here," Jerrick said.

The siblings nodded and headed off, at least, it looked like they did. It was really hard to tell in the dark. Corey headed off to the left side of the hull. Jerrick thought it wise to follow him.

Jerrick reached for Kari's hand in the dark. Kari's slender fingers intertwined with his, and together they edged their way to the side of the hull. Their eyes had adjusted slightly to the dark, but it was still too dark to see clearly. Silhouettes of barrels could be seen lying against a wall. Jerrick opened them and tried to peek inside, but it was too dark to make anything out. Gingerly, he inched his hand into the barrel. What was inside? His fingers grazed something scaly. He pulled his hand out immediately. A snake? Was it venomous? Think straight. No one would keep a snake in a barrel. Kari squeezed his hand gently, egging him on. Slowly and cautiously, Jerrick moved his hand down the barrel again. He felt the same scaly thing, and pulled his hand up a little. It didn't feel alive. Jerrick tapped the scaly thing a few times just to be sure. Yeah, it was dead. Satisfied, Jerrick gripped the scaly object and pulled it out. It was a…

"Fish?" Jerrick said, confused. Kari held the object.

"Feels very much like a fish to me," Kari said sarcastically. Jerrick poked her in the ribs for good measure.

"It's preserved," Jerrick noted. There was salt all over the fish. "They must have been preparing the ship to leave."

"There's fresh water here," Kari said, swishing her hand around in a barrel.

Jerrick opened another barrel and dipped his hand in. His hand met water, but the water felt different. It didn't have the pure quality that fresh water had. Jerrick licked his fingers. A burst of salt tortured his tongue and he grimaced.

"This one's salty," Jerrick said, smacking his lips to remove the horrible taste.

"Brine water?" Kari asked.

"Yeah, should be." Jerrick didn't feel like reaching into the barrel to find out what was inside. He opened another barrel and dipped his hand in again. The sleek smoothness and stickiness of oil met his fingers. Jerrick grimaced. Oil was disgustingly impossible to wash off-

Kari screamed. Jerrick whirled. Something wet flopped on the wooden deck. Jerrick didn't hesitate. He dashed over and stamped on it. Jerrick felt the creature squish under his boot. Kari was still breathing heavily. Jerrick embraced her.

"Are you okay?" Jerrick whispered into her ear.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Kari said. "I just touched something slimy and slithery and…" Jerrick felt Kari shudder. "I'm sorry, I overreacted and-"

"It's okay," Jerrick interrupted her. "I know you're scared of these things. You didn't overreact. It's dead now."

"I think it was dead before you stamped on it," Corey said.

"How do you know?" Jerrick asked, slowly breaking the embrace but still keeping a hand on Kari's shoulder.

"There's a whole barrel of them here." Corey pulled out another of the slimy creatures. The dark silhouette hanging from Corey's hand didn't budge at all. It just hung there loosely.

"What is that?" Kari asked.

"Eels. Raw though, so don't think about eating them."

"They're pretty tasty when cooked. Maybe we should cook them now," Jerrick joked.

"I'm not touching those slimy creatures ever again," Kari said, shuddering again.

"Guys, come here," Corey's voice echoed in the dark. How did Corey move around so fast? Jerrick's eyes met Kari's, and they began to make their way towards the source of the voice. She seemed glad to leave the eels behind. Jerrick's eyes were almost fully adjusted to the dark by now. He walked across the darkened hull confidently.

Corey stood in front of a weapons display of some sort. Grey silhouettes of swords, bows, maces and axes hanging menacingly from the wall. Krogan's army seemed to have some sort of satisfaction watching weapons hang off the wall. A few crates were stacked underneath the weapons. Jerrick pulled off the wooden cover and glanced inside. Bolas filled the interior of the crate. Experimentally, Jerrick tried lifting one. He could lift it, but to say that it was easy to do so would be lying. A pile of ropes were coiled up beside the crates. Beside the ropes were a few bear traps that were open. Who in their right mind would leave these traps open on the floor? Someone could step in them and lose a leg. Jerrick shuddered as he realised how easily they could have stepped on them in the dark.

"Think we could use any of these?" Jerrick asked, picking up one of the ropes and checking its length.

"Hopefully," Corey said. "Maybe we could booby trap the entrance to the hull or something."

The entrance to the hull was just a trapdoor on the deck. A narrow staircase led down to the bottom. In fact, the staircase was so narrow that if anyone told Jerrick it was a ladder, Jerrick would've believed them. Once they had climbed down the stairs-ladder hybrid, a darkened corridor with walls that amplified the suffocating darkness eventually opened up to the main hull of the ship. On the left side of the hull lay the barrels of food and water, and on the right side were the weapons. And the dangerous bear traps.

The trio left the weapons display and headed to the door that lay directly in front of the darkened corridor. Jerrick had seen enough ships to know that the door led to the commander's quarters.

The commander's quarters were even darker than the hull. Next to no light was able to enter the room. Everything in the room was outlined by dark silhouettes. Yet despite these dark conditions, Jerrick could see that the quarters were surprisingly cramped. A desk and chair that seemed to fill the entire room stood firmly in the centre of the room. It had a miniature dragon skeleton on it. Jerrick didn't want to find out if it was real or fake. Something large was pinned up on the wall behind the desk. Dustin and Helka were pouring over it, but Jerrick didn't even bother to look at it. It was simply too dark to make anything out.

"What's in here?" Jerrick asked the siblings.

"Nothing much," Dustin replied. "Just this table and this map."

"Nothing else?" Jerrick pressed.

"Nothing useful," Dustin shrugged.

Jerrick swept his eyes around the room. There had to be something else. Perhaps the darkness had simply hidden it. Suddenly, a small edge caught his eye. It barely jutted out an inch, and yet the slight difference in the colour of the silhouette caught Jerrick's keen eyes.

"Did you guys see this?" Jerrick asked, heading over to the crates tucked in the corner of the room.

There was an audible pause in the room as Dustin and Helka noticed the crates for the first time. The crates weren't even small, when they were stacked up their height reached Jerrick's chest. How they managed to miss it was beyond Jerrick. Jerrick opened the crates and reached in. A smooth, waxy layer lined the top of the crate. Jerrick pulled it out. It was way larger than he thought, and _it_ turned out to be a waterproof tarp. Jerrick reached in again, and his hand was greeted by stacks and stacks of paper. Jerrick ruffled them about as he dug his hand further in, but there was nothing more. Just more paper. The waterproof tarp was probably protecting the paper from getting wet.

It took a moment for Jerrick to realise that everything that could be discovered on the ship had been discovered. The commander's quarters was the last room. There was nothing left to find. The group of teenagers looked expectantly at Jerrick. The master planner. He had to find a way to keep Krogan and his Singetails away. With the information available, a plan was slowly starting to form in Jerrick's mind.

"Well then, let's start preparing," Jerrick announced. Giving instructions to the others, Jerrick headed onto the deck. After being in the dark for so long, the bright light stung his eyes. Jerrick squinted as his eyes watered and adjusted to the light. There were a few bola launchers on deck, and that was what Jerrick was trying to get. He thanked the gods for the invention of wheels, if not he would never have been able to drag the launchers to the hatch. Hollering out a warning, he pushed the launcher into the darkness of the hull. It landed with a loud crash. A second one followed immediately after. Neither landed the right way up, but five teenagers should be able to lift them the right way up.

Jerrick jumped into the hull and closed the hatch. The moment the hatch closed, everything went black. He huffed as he waited for his eyes to adjust to the darkness again. Jerrick called out to the others, who quickly came and righted both launchers before dragging them away. Jerrick started to walk, but a shout from Kari stopped him in his tracks. "You might step on a trap," she warned before taking his arm and slowly leading him further into the blackened hull. Like a blind man, Jerrick added. The sweet scent of lavender made Jerrick smile as she held him close and led him to the back of the hull. Jerrick heard someone making kissing noises, and knew without a doubt it was Corey. He was always teasing them. Jerrick suddenly realised something. Did Corey see the two of them in bed yesterday? They must've fallen asleep together, because Jerrick woke up with his arm underneath Kari. Corey had to have seen them.

As the blackness of the hull gradually faded to grey, Jerrick began to drag the bolas in between the launchers. Both launchers were facing the narrow corridor below the hatch. Just as Jerrick loaded the second bola, a loud roar sounded from above, followed immediately by heavy thuds on the ship's deck. Jerrick's heart sank. His eyes hadn't even fully adjusted to the dark yet!

"Go-word is 'yes', move!" Jerrick said urgently. Why was 'yes' the first word that popped up in his head? Everyone scrambled to their stations. The tension was palpable, the very air they breathed in felt thick like liquid. Jerrick's heart beat as though it wanted to break out of his rib cage. All in all, Jerrick counted five dragons. Dark, ominous, bassy footsteps echoed around the darkened hull as the soldiers walked about on the deck. Jerrick's skin crawled. Muffled voices broke through the wooden flooring. A chill ran down Jerrick's spine. If this didn't work, they would be sitting ducks.

The hatch slammed open with a loud crash. Jerrick jumped. Light poured in from the open hatch, illuminating the part of the corridor directly under the hatch. Four soldiers jumped in.

"Can you see anything?" Someone called from above.

"Too dark to see anything, Ake," one of the soldiers in the hull said.

"I'll find you a torch," Ake said. Jerrick heard the receding footsteps on the main deck, and chose this moment to step forward. Hands raised above his head, Jerrick stopped just before the corridor, letting the light that was streaming in through the hatch scrape his feet. The soldiers definitely saw his silhouetted shape, because frantic shouting suddenly burst out followed by the raising of bows and drawing of weapons.

"Don't move!" The soldier closest to Jerrick shouted in a gruff voice. His jawbone jutted out uglily, giving him a stern face.

"I'm not," Jerrick said. Slowly and delicately, he began to kneel down, all the while keeping his hands in the air.

"What are you doing?" Jawbone growled.

"Kneeling down. To show I'm not a threat."

Jawbone didn't say anything, but Jerrick knew he must've been deciding whether to strike Jerrick or not. He simply glared at Jerrick as he slowly sank onto his knees and leaned back on his haunches. Jerrick's heart beat in overdrive as he slowly placed both hands behind his head. The soldiers kept their weapons trained on him, poised to attack at the smallest sign of aggression.

"Found that torch yet, Ake?" Jawbone said, never taking his eyes off Jerrick.

"Not yet 'sarge," Ake replied from a distance. Jerrick guessed that Jawbone was the leader of this group.

"Why don't you use your Singetails for light?" Jerrick asked.

"Shut your mouth boy!" Jawbone hissed.

Jerrick ignored him. "Why not? Oh wait, _yes_, I remember-"

The moment Jerrick said the word 'yes', Dustin and Corey each swung a bucket at the soldiers. The contents of the bucket - a mixture of eels and brine water - flew over Jerrick's head, splashing the soldiers firmly in the face. Salt filled the soldiers' mouths and stung their eyes, and slimy eels smacked against their faces. It was merely human instinct to forget everything and spit out anything that enters one's mouth straight away, and the soldiers did exactly that. Mission forgotten, the soldiers lowered their weapons and began to spit out the salt and clean their eyes.

At the same time, Kari and Helka fired both bola launchers. Jerrick felt the wind rush past as both bolas sailed over his head. The first bola wrapped around all four soldiers and sent them to the ground in a cursing heap. The second was just insurance.

"Move!" Jerrick said, rising to his feet. Jerrick jumped over the fallen soldiers and scrambled to close the hatch. Darkness enveloped the hull. The soldiers stopped shouting as the others knocked them out. But Jerrick knew that their shouts had been audible from above. Whoever Ake was definitely heard them.

"Sergeant?" Ake's muffled voice sounded through the closed hatch. Jerrick climbed to the top step and crouched directly below the hatch. He took a deep breath to steady his nerves. The mere thought of what he was about to do sent a shiver through Jerrick. A teenager pulling a fully-grown soldier - who would probably have his weapon drawn - into the hull? What was he thinking?

The hatch opened. All thinking ceased.

Jerrick sprang. He grabbed Ake by his tunic and yanked him forcefully into the hull. Ake and Jerrick were suspended in mid-air for a brief moment, before Jerrick landed on Ake's stomach. With Ake winded, Jerrick punched him in the head. The fight was over immediately. Ake went unconscious. A long and angry burn mark stretched up Ake's cheek. Jerrick suddenly realised that this was the man that he had burnt with Inferno in the amphitheater. Deep down, he felt a pang of guilt. Jerrick winded and stood up.

"Good work guys," Jerrick said. He took a moment to examine the situation. Four unconscious soldiers entangled in a bola. One more unconscious soldier lying at his feet. Only the Singetails were left. Once the dragons were gone, they could load these soldiers into one of the escape boats and send them away. After that, there should be more than enough time for them to sail to a village and hide. Jerrick went to open the hatch…

And saw two more dragons hovering in the air. Jerrick heard some soldiers shouting. How could he forget that dragons could hover? Jerrick cursed and jumped down. The hatch slammed shut. But it was too late. A Singetail roared. They had seen him. Jerrick and his friends weren't out of the blue yet.

"Get more eels! Load the launchers!" Jerrick shouted as he dashed back down the corridor. Dustin and Corey scrambled to refill their buckets. Kari and Helka rushed to reload the launchers. Jerrick ran towards the ropes lying on the floor and grabbed a few ropes that were about the same length.

Suddenly, the hatch smashed open with a loud crack, sending splinters flying to the floor. Light streamed in, illuminating the part of the corridor underneath the hatch like a spotlight. Jerrick spun around, ready to fight. But he wasn't prepared for a Singetail to fly straight in, grab the unconscious soldiers, and fly straight back out. Even after the Singetail had left, Jerrick remained rooted to the spot for a few seconds.

"Come out and we won't harm you," a lifeless voice called out. Jerrick knew that voice. Yakfeet. Or Blondhead. It didn't really matter. They were both equally dull and equally boring. But Jerrick didn't doubt that they were dangerous. What should he do? Go out and give up? While the prospect of being unharmed sounded good, capture didn't. The only other alternative was to fight back. But how? Yakfeet and Blondhead would see them from above. Light was pouring in from the hatch.

But the light ended at the end of the corridor, just before the main hull began. They couldn't be seen there. They could still get in position. They just had to do it silently. Using signs to give instructions was the best way.

The first sign, Jerrick put a finger to his lips. Stay silent.

The second sign, Jerrick pointed at Kari and Helka, and then at the bola launchers. Stay here.

The third sign, Jerrick pointed at Dustin and Corey, and waved a palm forward. Move forward. With the ropes clasped in his hands, Jerrick led the way forward, staying out of the line of sight of the corridor. At the end of the corridor, Jerrick placed the ropes across the floor of the corridor. In the light it would be obvious, but in the dark it was practically invisible.

"Come out," Blondhead continued. Jerrick was sure it was Blondhead. Whispering final instructions to Dustin and Corey, Jerrick took a bucket of eels and headed to the hatch.

"Need some friends?" Jerrick said as he flung the contents of the bucket upwards. The eels splattered all over a cursing Blondhead. A Singetail roared, probably at the sight of the eels, Jerrick guessed. He darted back into the blackness of the hull, jumping over the ropes. Turning around, Jerrick expected to see Blondhead chasing him.

But there was no one there. Instead, all he heard was a Singetail roar and the receding sounds of strong wings beating. Jerrick rushed to the hatch and looked up. The Singetails were flying up into the sky. The soldiers were leaving!

"Did they just… leave?" Corey asked, disbelief evident in his voice.

"Yeah…" Jerrick replied hesitantly. Was that it?

"Did we just win?" Dustin asked. No one could really believe it. Did five teenagers really win against trained soldiers and dragons?

"I think so." The soldiers were gone. They were retreating. Had they won? They had won. Jerrick couldn't believe it. But it was true. The realisation slowly set in, replacing his disbelief. They had won!

"We won." Jerrick said half to himself, still unable to fully believe it. "We won!" Jerrick punched a fist into the air. The hull erupted in cheering and whooping.

Then there was a loud boom.

Jerrick's ears rang as though a bell had been struck right beside him. The ship rocked violently. He collapsed to the ground. Debris and dirt rained on him. Jerrick couldn't think straight. The ringing made him dizzy. The burning light singed his eyes. He pressed his hands against his ears and squeezed his eyes closed. Stop ringing. Off the light. It hurt to think. Someone gripped his arm and yanked him to his feet.

"Move!" The person - was it Dustin? - sounded as though he was underwater. Jerrick felt his arm being dragged away from him. His legs struggled to maintain the pace. Dustin was mumbling something. Jerrick strained his ears to listen. "...our eyes, look…" Open your eyes? Jerrick forced his eyelids open a little and looked up. There was something grey and bright filling the place. It was moving. High-pitched ringing still filled his ears. Jerrick felt thick air enter his lungs. He coughed violently. Dustin was still pulling his arm. His legs couldn't keep up with the pace. He stumbled and crashed onto the floor.

"Stop, you go on, give me time," Jerrick mumbled. He shut his eyes. When would the ringing stop? When would the light go off? Jerrick coughed again. Why was the air so thick? He coughed again.

Suddenly, cold water splashed against his face. Bolts of ice flew through his veins, shocking him awake. Jerrick gasped, his eyes flew open immediately.

But when he saw the hull, sheer terror gripped him like a rope around his neck. A large flaming and gaping hole had burst open right above. Burning wooden planks and splinters littered the hull. The entire rim was ablaze. Thick black smoke rose from fires in the centre of the hull. Jerrick's heart raced, his breath hitched.

Jerrick immediately realised what happened. The Singetails had fired at the ship. He knew there was something wrong when Blondhead showed emotion. Jerrick coughed again. The choking smoke was filling the hull. That's why the air was so thick.

A slap stung his face. "Wake up! We need to move!" Dustin yelled, yanking his arm. Jerrick scrambled to his feet and half ran, half stumbled to the hatch.

"Where's the rest?" Jerrick asked.

"Outside already!" Dustin yelled back. Jerrick doubled his efforts to reach the hatch.

But the moment he stepped into the corridor, another explosion flung him backwards. The wound on the back of his head exploded with pain. Jerrick groaned and clutched the back of his head. Dustin tugged his arm urgently.

"Get up!" Jerrick fought against the wave of dizziness threatening to overpower him. With the back of his head throbbing, Jerrick pushed himself to his feet and followed Dustin into the burning hull. The smoke was so thick Jerrick could barely see his legs as he ran. The swaying smoke didn't help his dizziness. Jerrick coughed violently. His eyes stung and watered. Dustin grabbed two buckets and passed one to Jerrick. Jerrick filled his bucket with water and rushed back to the blazing corridor. He drenched the corridor in water, leaving just a few small fires. Dustin dragged him back into the grey smoke to get another bucket of water. Nausea was slowly setting in. His head still throbbed. Jerrick could've filled the bucket with the tears leaking from his eyes. His lungs were probably black by now. Jerrick coughed violently again as he dashed back to the corridor and doused the staircase with water. A small sense of relief filled him when he saw the fires extinguish. Jerrick turned around. Dustin was right behind him. Dizzy and nauseous, Jerrick began to climb out of the hatch. Every step was agony, every pull on a rung was pure torture. But Jerrick kept going. He couldn't afford to stop. Just three more rungs. His head pulsated. Two more, his eyes burned. One last rung, he coughed hard. A pair of strong hands grabbed his arms and started to pull him out. Jerrick let himself go limp. The strong hands pulled him out of the hatch…

…and slammed him on the deck. A heavy knee pressed painfully into his spine. Air rushed out of Jerrick's lungs. He coughed and spluttered, trying to get as much air into his scorched lungs. Jerrick felt his hands being wrenched behind his back, but he did nothing about it. What with an aching head, stinging eyes, burning lungs, Jerrick was in no condition to fight. All he did was hiss in pain as his hands were bound painfully behind his back. The rope chafed his skin as the knots were tied. Once the knots were done, the pressure on his back lifted. Jerrick sucked in fresh air greedily. Fresh air never tasted so delicious before.

A pair of boots came to a stop in front of him. Jerrick glanced up. Blondhead scowled back at him. Jerrick couldn't help but think that in a single scowl, Blondhead was showing more emotion than he had ever seen.

"Why did you do this, Jerrick?" Blondhead asked in a toneless voice. Jerrick was about to give a snarky reply, but simply shrugged. He didn't have the strength for it. "Bring them to the dragons." Blondhead ordered. Jerrick let out a gasp as he was hauled to his feet and marched unceremoniously towards the waiting Singetails. Glancing around, Jerrick saw that all his friends were treated just as royally. Hands tied behind their backs, a soldier holding the ropes tightly from behind.

"You think you're such a hero, don't you, _Jerrick_." Jerrick recognised that voice. Ake. He spat Jerrick's name as though it was poisonous. "Doing all this to free the dragon riders. Attacking us, fighting us. What do you get from this?" Ake suddenly stopped near the flaming hole. "I'll tell you what you get. A whole lot of trouble." The way Ake spoke, it sounded more like a promise than a threat. Jerrick gulped nervously. A sense of dread welled up in his chest. Ake bent down and picked up a broken plank that was still burning. "And a whole lot of pain," Ake finished.

Jerrick suddenly realised what Ake meant. Ake wanted revenge. Jerrick's skin crawled as the flame came closer. He tried to run, but Ake's grip on the ropes was too strong.

"Ake, stop," Blondhead ordered.

Ake waved the flame beside Jerrick's face. Even though the flames never touched him, Jerrick could feel the burning heat sweep past his face. Jerrick's heart hammered in his chest. He struggled hard, but Ake was too strong. Ake's hand crushed Jerrick's head painfully, holding it in position.

"That's just a taste. Now for the real thing," Ake said, but Jerrick didn't hear him. All he could hear was the crackling of the fire. The heat washed over his face again. Jerrick whimpered. The flames kept coming. It was going to burn his face. He couldn't do anything.

The flames touched him.

Jerrick screamed.

Nothing had ever come close to the pain he felt. Every nerve in his cheek tore. Searing pain scorched through his whole body. Jerrick let out a bloodcurdling scream. He writhed in agony. His face screamed. His mind blanked. The few seconds that the fire burned his cheek felt like an eternity. Even after the flames were lifted his cheek throbbed painfully. Warm tears streamed down his cheek. The blood pumped deafeningly in his ears.

"That's only the first part," Jerrick heard Ake say. Despite his pain, Jerrick twisted his head around to glare at Ake. The man grinned cynically.

"Ake, stop," Blondhead's voice sounded again.

"Your pretty little face won't be so pretty anymore," Ake hissed. Jerrick's cheek was still burning, still throbbing, but he prepared himself to fight. He wouldn't take it again without a fight. Out of the corner of his eye, Jerrick saw Ake lift the burning piece of wood to his head level. Jerrick reared his head forward slightly and steeled himself. Headbutting Ake would hurt, especially with the wound on the back of his head, but it was the only choice.

Something whistled past Jerrick's ear. Jerrick heard a _thunk_ sound as the thing landed. At the same time, something splashed on the back of Jerrick's neck and Ake began spluttering. The flaming plank clattered to the floor and then there was a loud thud. Utterly confused, Jerrick turned around slowly.

Jerrick would never forget the wretched sight that greeted his eyes. Splatters of crimson red blood painted the deck. An arrow protruded brutally out of Ake's neck. The way Ake's lifeless eyes stared blankly into the sky would forever haunt Jerrick's dreams. Jerrick heard Kari scream. Blood gushed out of the wound, forming a sticky pool underneath Jerrick's feet. The sickeningly dry and metallic scent of blood made Jerrick's stomach flip. He suddenly realised it was blood on the back of his neck and all over his tunic. A man just died. Jerrick felt sick to the core. A man just died! He tore his eyes away from the horrific scene and retched violently over the side. Jerrick didn't know how long he was slumped against the railings. Time seemed irrelevant. A man just died! The tortured sight and smell came to his mind again. He retched again.

Eventually, a soldier grabbed him by his bound wrists and led him to one of the Singetails. Jerrick looked away from… _it_, instead fixing his eyes on Blondhead in front of him. Blondhead didn't look affected in the slightest. How could someone kill another human being and not feel anything?

"Why?" Jerrick croaked as he passed Blondhead.

"He didn't listen to instructions," Blondhead said emotionlessly.

"You killed someone because they didn't obey you?!" Jerrick practically yelled. Blondhead merely shrugged. Jerrick gave up talking to him. He knew he wouldn't get anything else out of the dull man. And frankly, Jerrick didn't mind. This whole day was beginning to take a toll on him. With a throbbing head, a burning face, the sickening sight… Jerrick had had enough.

As the soldier dumped him unceremoniously on the Singetail and took off, Jerrick let himself slump back against the soldier's chest. Who cares where they went? Who cares what happened to them?

Jerrick needed to rest.


	17. Chapter 16: The Truth

**Chapter 16: The Truth**

Six people were huddled around the fireplace. Frankly, 'huddled' was probably the wrong word. There was only one person near the fireplace. The other five were locked in a cage.

Jerrick sighed and winced. The burn on his face throbbed every now and then. It wouldn't scar - hopefully - but that ugly red welt was going to hurt for a while. Yet, that wasn't the worst part. The worst part was the sinking feeling of helplessness. The cage was locked - and very securely too, someone had made sure to check. There was really no way out. Even the soldier dozing off at the fireplace knew that. It was almost like he was taunting them by sleeping. _Go ahead, try to escape! It's completely impossible, I can even sleep while guarding you! _

A cold wind blew into the cage. Jerrick's breath swirled up and formed a small misty cloud in front of him. The darkened night sky and the cold weather didn't really help him feel any better. At least their hands were untied, that was the only respite. Jerrick hugged his knees closer to his chest and shivered. How long had they been in the cage? The sky was still bright when they were captured, now the moon was at its highest point. All conversation had long died out too. Corey, Dustin and Helka were fast asleep on the other side of the cage.

A shuddering breath brought him back to the present. Jerrick glanced to his right. Kari was rubbing warmth into her arms. He shuffled closer to her until their shoulders touched.

"Need some warmth?" Jerrick whispered, wrapping an arm around her. Kari rested her head on Jerrick's shoulder.

"Thanks," she said, releasing another sigh. There was a stale smoky scent overlapping her typical lavender. Then again, he probably reeked of smoke and blood too.

The cold wind whistled again. Jerrick resisted the urge to shiver. He was cold, but more importantly he was too proud to admit he was cold. A smile tugged the edges of his mouth as he felt Kari snuggle deeper into his embrace. Jerrick ghosted a kiss on Kari's head. Kari giggled softly.

Dark clouds hung in the sky, obstructing the meager light that managed to reach the surface of the island. The flames from the nearby fire swayed in the wind. Jerrick watched his shadow dance hypnotically. Short stumpy arms barely reaching the edges of the cage morphed into long slender arms that touched the trees outside the cage. At the same time a short black stump changed into a tall grey man, and then the man waved goodbye before changing back into the short black stump. Jerrick couldn't help but think that the shadowed man was more free than he was. He sighed quietly. How drastically his life had changed in the last few days! Jerrick went from being another teenager on the tribe of Breca, to a spy chasing his father's murderer, then an assassin - almost an assassin, and then a prisoner. He'd stared death in the face - hell, even witnessed death right in front of his eyes - and he'd been in the same room as two young lovers went at it. All this in a span of a week. Jerrick chuckled at the thought, or rather he exhaled heavily from his nose. What a world of difference a week made.

"Jerrick?" Kari whispered.

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry."

Jerrick scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. "For what?"

"For… this." Kari waved her arms at the cage.

"How is this your fault?"

"I should have listened to you. We should have just left this place. I should never have told you to stay. It's my-" Jerrick stopped her with a hug.

"It's not your fault. I chose to do this."

"But I talked you into it."

"But you were right. I couldn't just go away after practically luring Hiccup here. I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing what I had done. Especially after I saw… _that_ on the ship, I can't imagine what a blood eagle would be like." The acrid smell of blood came to Jerrick's mind.

The cold blew through the cage, and an involuntary shiver sped through Jerrick's body. Jerrick glanced at Kari and caught sight of shining emerald eyes peeking up at him curiously. His heart fluttered. Why did Kari have such an effect on him? Damn his teenage hormones. Kari suddenly wrapped her arms around Jerrick. Jerrick's breath caught in his throat.

"Why are you so good at talking?" Kari asked playfully.

"I've had to talk you out of slapping your younger brother for years."

Kari giggled. Jerrick felt a wide smile grow on his face. They continued to gaze happily into each other's eyes. Jerrick felt it coming. He knew it was coming. There was a special twinkle in Kari's eyes. He leaned forward and closed his eyes. It might not be the first time they kissed, but Jerrick felt the same thrill in his heart as he did the first time. The same electrifying feeling in his nerves, the same rush of adrenaline, the same feeling of absolute bliss. Nothing else mattered, except for the lovely girl in front of him. Kari Iona Tordis. The only thing flying through his weightless head. Kari. Their lips parted unwillingly when Jerrick finally needed to breathe.

Suddenly, Jerrick heard heavy wing beats. He spun around and looked out of the cage. Silhouettes of dragons filled the sky. The Singetails were back. Jerrick felt his heart sink.

"Guys, guys," Jerrick snapped his fingers urgently. The others slowly stirred. Jerrick huffed and shook them roughly, pointing at the dragons in the sky. That did the trick. They straightened up immediately.

It wasn't long before Krogan landed near the campfire, followed closely behind by Yakfeet, Captain Jorgund and a few others that Jerrick didn't recognise. The soldier guarding them jerked awake, but it was too late. Jerrick saw Krogan turn menacingly on the poor soldier.

"That's the third time already," Krogan said in his heavily accented voice.

"I'm sorry sir!" The soldier bowed down.

"I've given you so many chances, yet you continue to fail me."

"It won't happen again sir!"

"It certainly won't." There was a sinister tone in Krogan's voice that sent chills down Jerrick's spine. Krogan nodded at Captain Jorgund. Captain Jorgund waved a hand. Two soldiers came forward and grabbed the kneeling soldier by his arms. Jerrick felt his heart sink as the soldier's face filled up with fright.

"No, no, no!" The soldiers holding him began to drag him away. "Please sir!" His voice cracked.

But Krogan didn't even spare him a second glance. The wind howled loudly as the soldier's pleas faded away. "Hopefully the Speed Stingers will shut him up," one of the soldiers commented.

Jerrick felt his anger grow and grow as he watched the scene unfold. How could someone be so heartless? Jerrick grabbed the bars of the cage viciously.

"What's wrong with you?" Jerrick spat as Krogan came closer to the cage.

"What's wrong with me?" Krogan said innocently.

"How can you bring him away so easily?"

"Nothing bad's going to happen."

"Yes it will." Jerrick felt Kari hold him and pull him away from the bars. She was whispering something in his ear, but Jerrick didn't quite make out what she was trying to say.

"He's going for… corrective training." Krogan grinned at the last two words.

Jerrick wanted to retort, but Kari's words finally got to him. "Don't make him angrier," she whispered. Jerrick glared daggers at Krogan, but held his tongue.

"Now that you're done talking," Krogan said. "I want to ask you a few questions." Krogan leaned in close to the bars of the cage, so close that their faces were almost touching. Jerrick could feel his warm breath on his face. The crooked scar looked even more chilling from up close, every jagged edge jarring and harsh on his eyes. Cold brown eyes pierced through Jerrick's soul. A chill ran down his spine. Jerrick wanted to hold his ground, to continue to glare straight back at Krogan, but Krogan had a certain aura that screamed at Jerrick to stay away. The closeness of his scarred face was too close for comfort. Jerrick gulped and backed off a little, feeling grateful when he felt the cold air blowing between their faces. The fire crackled loudly behind Krogan.

"Why?" Krogan asked in a low voice.

Jerrick looked away. "I couldn't just let you kill him like this."

"Why not?"

Jerrick shrugged. "I don't know. It just didn't feel right."

"Even after all he's done?"

"No one deserves to die."

"How naive," Krogan huffed and backed off. "You youngsters have such an innocent view on the world. You think everyone is good, right? Well that's wrong. People who seem bad can be good. People who you think are good may be bad. You haven't seen enough horrors in the world."

"I think I've seen quite a bit," Jerrick muttered.

"It's nowhere near what others have seen," Krogan's voice grew louder and louder. "I've seen people die in front of me. I've seen my own men get killed by dragon riders right in front of me. I've seen hideous things. I've seen things that can make a man kill himself." For a fleeting moment, Jerrick thought he saw something in the sky behind Krogan.

"And yet you _dare_ to challenge me?" Krogan continued, shouting at him. His accent got stronger. "I was so close to ending a war. But thanks to _you_, they got away. We didn't find them, just so you know." Jerrick felt a small sense of relief when he heard that.

Krogan noticed it. "Don't be too happy yet."

"What's going to happen to us?" Dustin asked.

"Probably nothing bad," Krogan said. "I'll probably just ship you all back to Breca. We're not the bad guys, after all."

Some part of Jerrick was disappointed that everything would end in a huge anticlimax, but deep down he was grateful nothing was going to happen. He had had enough. Going after Hiccup, then saving him, then getting captured and burnt. He didn't even manage to find out who killed Hagen Brandt. Jerrick wanted nothing more than to head back to Breca and rest.

"When do we leave?" Jerrick asked eventually.

"Tomorrow. I'm sick of dealing with you all."

"Sounds good. I'm sorry it ended this way."

"If only you would just do what you're told," Krogan said as he turned around. "You and your father are the same. Both of you can't listen to instructions."

There was something familiar about what Krogan said. Jerrick stretched his mind to think.

Then it hit him.

The disappearing bartender, Ake's death, even the weapons merchant on the very first day. Blondhead's words echoed in his head. _He didn't listen to instructions_. What had the soldiers shouted in the amphitheater? _Feed him to the dragons! _What about the soldiers who dragged the sleeping guard away? _The Speed Stingers will shut him up. _

Everything became clear. Everything made sense.

And everything in Jerrick's mind was replaced with an overwhelming sense of anger. Jerrick seethed. Pure rage filled his entire being like a babbling brook of hot lava. He scrunched his fists till his knuckles went white. He clenched his jaw tighter than a spanner. His face went black. His whole body trembled. He snapped.

"You. _Fucking. _Bitch!" Jerrick spat. Jerrick slammed his palms into the bars. A loud clang echoed around the island.

"What did you say?" Krogan spun around.

"You were the one who did it!" Jerrick shouted, stabbing his finger at Krogan. "You monster! You brute! I should have killed you when I had the chance!"

Krogan suddenly dashed over to Jerrick in three strides and yanked his outstretched arm. Jerrick's face slammed against the bars. "So what if I did? Your father was as incompetent as you."

Jerrick saw red. He flipped his arm out of Krogan's grip, grabbed his collar, and pulled Krogan in with a loud yell, smashing his head against the bars. The bars clanked deafeningly. But Jerrick didn't stop there. He smashed Krogan's head against the bars over and over again. Blood sprouted from Krogan's head. A few drops landed on Jerrick's hands and face. But Jerrick didn't care. Hatred and fury consumed him. He didn't even feel the hilt of the sword smashing into his wrist the first time. It was only when the second strike broke his wrist then Jerrick released Krogan. But even then he didn't feel the pain. He was furious. Not even the sight of Krogan's bloodied face gave him pleasure. Jerrick snarled and yanked the bars viciously, hoping to break it down in his anger.

"You better calm him down before we interfere," Yakfeet said.

"Go on! Back off like the wimp you are!" Jerrick shook off the arm around his shoulder. "Pass out, you weakling! I hope you never wake up!"

Krogan wiped the blood off his face and glared daggers at Jerrick. Jerrick bared his teeth and glared back savagely.

Suddenly, strong hands gripped him from behind and yanked him to the floor. His belly hit the ground. Jerrick cried out. People clambered on his back. Jerrick twisted and struggled. It didn't work. His hands were high above his back. He was being crushed. He screamed threats. It didn't work. Jerrick struggled again. It still didn't work.

"Calm down, Jerrick, calm down," he heard over and over again. That was Corey's voice. Why was Corey holding him down? Jerrick twisted again, but it still wasn't working. Without his hands he wouldn't be able to get out. "Calm down." Jerrick heard again, but this time it was Dustin's voice. He snarled loudly. Jerrick soon realised he couldn't breathe properly with both Corey and Dustin on his back. He took a shallow breath. Jerrick twisted again, but felt his strength fading away. Jerrick also felt the pain in his broken wrist for the first time. Jerrick took another breath. The urge to escape was less. His anger subsided. The pain in his wrist grew stronger.

"Let go of my hand," Jerrick said. His voice no longer had the same edge. It was much calmer. Corey released his hands. The weight on his back lifted, and Jerrick sat up and gripped his throbbing wrist. He whimpered. Without the adrenaline, it really hurt.

"Jerrick Thurmond Brandt." A cold accented voice spoke from outside the cell. Jerrick locked eyes with Krogan. Blood streamed down the side of his head. The fire in the fireplace crackled behind him. Jerrick thought he saw a shadow fly behind Krogan.

"I hope you like Helheim," Krogan said tonelessly. "Take him."

Immediately, soldiers began to close in on the cage. One of them produced a key and started to turn the lock. But Dustin pushed him back through the bars.

"Stay away from him!" Dustin ordered.

"Let us through and we won't hurt you," Yakfeet said.

"If you want to get to him, you'll have to go through us," Corey said.

"Don't bother," Krogan said suddenly. "Don't waste your time." Krogan glared straight at Jerrick, a sour frown plastered on his face. The blood on his face dripped down his chin. The hideous scar on his face jumped a little. Jerrick saw his mouth twitch, and immediately a gut feeling told him he wouldn't like what Krogan was going to say.

"Shoot him."

Jerrick felt his mouth dry up as he watched all the archers load their crossbows. There were at least ten of them. There was no way he was going to survive this. The cage was too small to dodge ten arrows. Fear gripped him like a hungry lion clutching its prey. His legs felt like it was weighed down with lead. Jerrick desperately wanted to run, wanted to do anything besides stand there, but he didn't. He couldn't. He was a sitting duck. Jerrick gulped as the cold tip of the arrow stared him down.

Suddenly, there was a large explosion. A loud boom tortured Jerrick's ears. Amber flames rose up like a cloud, lighting up the night sky. Jerrick squinted. He blocked the light with his hand. There was another ear-shattering explosion. Soldiers shouted. The ground trembled underneath his feet. Jerrick cried out as he landed painfully on his broken wrist. Ignoring the pain, Jerrick looked out of the cage.

Small flames littered the area. Fallen soldiers were either scrambling for their weapons or clutching some injured body part. Dirt and soil was tossed up everywhere. But it was none of this that caught Jerrick's attention.

It was a dragon hovering above.

"Rockcrusher!" Jerrick shouted with delight. Rockcrusher looked at Jerrick gleefully and wagged his tail briefly, before sending more flaming rocks crashing into the ground. The other Gronckles that Rockcrusher called to bring them to the Northern Markets were with him too. The quartet rained havoc from the sky. Soldiers had to jump out of the way of raining lava. A few soldiers screamed and ran when burning rocks crashed between their hands and fallen weapons. A beige Gronckle sent a soldier flying into the sea with his rock-hard tail. Jerrick winced at the impact. The soldier definitely broke some ribs. He didn't want to think if the soldier lived or not.

"It's good to see you," Jerrick said as Rockcrusher flew directly beside the cage. He reached out of the bars to pat him. A huge wave of joy buzzed through Jerrick when he felt the thick scaly snout against his palms.

"Can you break the lock?" Jerrick asked. Rockcrusher glanced doubtfully at the lock.

"I got it." Jerrick recognised that voice. Jerrick's mouth was already hanging open as he slowly spun to face the voice.

Hiccup.

The auburn man opened the cage door and held it open. But Jerrick didn't move. He couldn't believe his eyes.

"Come on, Jerrick, we have a fight to finish," Hiccup coaxed with a smile. Jerrick still didn't budge. His shocked eyes remained locked on Hiccup. Even as Kari held his non-broken hand and practically dragged him out of the cage, Jerrick's blank gaze didn't leave Hiccup. '_How did you find me' _was what Jerrick wanted to say, but in his confused state all he said was "How…"

"Your Gronckle found us as we were heading back to Berk," Hiccup explained. "He was so frantic that we decided to follow him. He led us back here, so here we are. And just in time, I think." Hiccup glanced around.

"Come on, Toothless, let's go," Hiccup suddenly said. Jerrick hadn't even noticed Toothless standing beside Hiccup. Hiccup mounted Toothless awkwardly, avoiding his left hand. The duo rejoined the dragon riders hovering in the air. Hiccup gave an order, and the riders began to swoop down and attack Krogan's soldiers together with the Gronckle army. The dragon riders knocked soldiers unconscious and chased many more away with dragon fire, fully intending not to harm the soldiers, but the Gronckles had other ideas. Rock-hard tails sent soldiers flying into the sea. Some of them screamed loudly as molten rocks incinerated them, and then stopped screaming altogether. Jerrick watched as Yakfeet was knocked unconscious from behind by Snotlout, and for good measure Rockcrusher sent him flying into the sea. The sight of the twins spewing green gas all over the place captivated Jerrick for a while, before a burp-growl-squawk interrupted Jerrick's reverie. Rockcrusher stuffed his rocky body underneath Jerrick's arm. Jerrick couldn't help but smile at his dragon's affectionate gestures.

"Thank you, boy," Jerrick said warmly. Rockcrusher wagged his tail. Jerrick looked up and quickly assessed the situation. The dragon riders were no longer alone in the sky. There were Singetails flying around too. On land, soldiers started to grab bows or head to the bola launchers by the edge of the island. A quick count showed about five Singetails in the air and ten soldiers on land. Many more lay unconscious.

Jerrick knew immediately what had to be done. He grabbed a sword from a fallen soldier awkwardly with his weaker hand.

"Let's finish this!" Jerrick yelled. Everyone grabbed a weapon and charged into the fray. The soldiers spun around, caught off-guard. But they quickly dropped their bows and picked up swords, axes, maces; any melee weapon they could get their hands on.

It just took a split second for Jerrick to see that the soldiers were experts. Light footwork, perfect posture, expert grips, not to mention strong muscles that would shred their teenage muscles to bits. Jerrick halted. Going up against these soldiers would be fighting a losing battle. There were seven of them standing in a line in front of them, blocking Jerrick and his friends from reaching the launchers. Five teenagers fighting against seven expert soldiers was not a good idea. They needed something that could turn the tides. But what?

Then he remembered it. The Zippleback gas canisters. When they escaped the island earlier, Jerrick only used two. He had pocketed four. There were still two more in his pocket.

With his body half turned away from the soldiers, Jerrick slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out the two canisters, forcing himself not to wince when his broken wrist jostled against the opening of his pocket. The metal felt cold in his broken hand. He glanced at his friends for the briefest moment, before opening and tossing both canisters at the soldiers. Immediately, green gas spread out and completely consumed the soldiers. The soldiers coughed and spluttered. A few of them stumbled out of the toxic cloud, weapons lost, fight forgotten.

"Charge!" Jerrick ordered. The rest surged forward. Dustin and Corey teamed up to knock an utterly confused soldier into the sea. Kari parried a weak shot from a soldier while Helka knocked him unconscious. A few more soldiers clambered out of the gas, but they weren't a challenge. The gas had taken too much of a toll on them. It didn't take more than a few hits to dispose of them. Jerrick felt utterly useless hanging back, but he knew he'd be even more useless fighting with a broken wrist - he'd just be a burden. The green cloud slowly became thinner and thinner, until it was no more. The bola launchers were no longer manned. Jerrick didn't want to know what happened to the soldiers there.

Bright orange fire and purple plasma blasts continued to burst in the night sky. For a brief moment Jerrick considered using the launchers to help. But that thought shattered when a plasma blast struck a Singetail. The Singetail roared in pain. Dragon fire suddenly began to rain heavily. Jerrick had no idea who was winning. Every now and then a dragon silhouette would be illuminated briefly by dragon fire. A Singetail took the brunt of a plasma blast. The poor dragon roared pitifully. The silhouette of the Singetail began to grow larger and larger.

Jerrick suddenly realised the dragon was coming towards him.

"Move!" He barely jumped out of the way before the dragon crashed into the ground. Dirt and grass flew everywhere. Jerrick spat out the dirt in his mouth. Avoiding his right hand, Jerrick rose to his feet and looked at the dragon. The Singetail had a smoky wound on its side, and no sign of its rider. Jerrick took a step forward.

Suddenly, Krogan stood up from behind the dragon and glared straight at Jerrick. Jerrick froze. A gleam of light flew off the blade of Krogan's sword. Harsh brown eyes pierced into Jerrick's soul. A chill ran down his spine.

"Give up, Krogan," Hiccup said in a commanding voice. The riders landed beside him, forming one extended line. Jerrick felt a small surge of relief. But that wasn't enough to calm his racing heart.

"Why do you always ruin things?" Krogan hollered furiously.

"This doesn't have to get any worse. Surrender and let this war end," Hiccup continued.

"From the moment you were at the Northern Markets, you've been nothing but trouble," Krogan said directly to Jerrick. Jerrick resisted the urge to squirm.

"Krogan, stop it," Jerrick heard Hiccup say. But Krogan didn't break his deadly glare. Dark brown irises stabbed straight into Jerrick's heart. Jerrick's skin crawled. He was brave, hell, he'd taken down a furious Night Fury - twice - but there was something so sinister in Krogan's ice cold glare.

Jerrick didn't know it, in fact none of the riders knew it too, but there was a bow strapped to Krogan's back, locked and loaded. One pull of the trigger was all it took to fire an arrow at an extremely fast speed. It would hit a person before anyone could react.

After a few seconds that felt like an eternity, Krogan finally looked away. Jerrick sighed softly when Krogan looked at Hiccup.

"Fine. I will," Krogan said, his voice unusually calm. "This fight has gone on for long enough. It's time for it to end." Krogan lowered his sword and dropped his head. Jerrick wasn't sure, but he was certain that Krogan glanced at him for a split second as he lowered his sword. There was also something disconcerting about the way Krogan spoke, particularly the word 'fight'. Hearing Krogan say that word felt wrong. Jerrick remembered Krogan calling this battle with Hiccup a war, so why was he calling it a fight now? 'Fight' normally meant something smaller. A twisted feeling began to grow inside Jerrick's stomach. Nothing felt right. Something on Krogan's back glinted.

Suddenly, Krogan looked back up and glared at Jerrick, a twisted scowl on his face.

"I'm just sorry it has to end this way."

Krogan flung the sword. Moonlight glinted off the blade as it tumbled through the air. The sword passed well above their heads, striking fear in any birds who happened to pass overhead.

Jerrick opened his mouth to scoff, but a whistle in his ear and something slamming into his chest stopped him. It was like a brutal punch that knocked the wind out of him. Jerrick stumbled back a step. Who hit him? Only the riders and his friends were close to him. Something warm began to spread on his chest and down his body too. Since when did punches leave warm feelings? How strange.

And here was something else. The ground that was previously flat was now running downhill. Then it was running uphill. Scratch that, it tipped downhill so far that Jerrick could no longer see it. Trees that used to stand tall beside him now hung their leaves over his face. On top of that, the world seemed a lot darker. The glow of the moon seemed to have darkened too. Jerrick knew that it was dark, but it definitely wasn't this dark before. Some colours still stood out though, like the dull green on the leaves, the bright orange of Kari's tunic…

Why was Kari kneeling over him? When had he fallen down? There was a panicked look on her face. Her mouth was open, like she was screaming, but no sound came out. Everyone gathered around him too. Why were they so interested in him? Something dripped off Kari's chin. It looked like tears. Why was she crying? Jerrick wanted to wipe the tears off her face, but to his surprise he couldn't raise his hand. He wanted to ask what happened, but nothing came out, not a single breath. Jerrick was starting to feel scared. He didn't know what was wrong, but there was definitely something wrong.

Then something caught his attention. At the edge of his rapidly blackening vision, Jerrick saw something sticking straight up, almost like it was in his chest. He strained to see it, but he couldn't see anything more than a wooden stick with the back of an arrow attached onto it. Something else drew his attention away from the arrow. A deep red colour - it looked more like a black colour sparkling in the light actually, nothing had colour anymore - was spreading underneath his body. Jerrick suddenly realised that he felt warm. Not just physically warm, but his heart felt warm too.

Amidst the sea of black and grey, Jerrick saw a person that actually had colour, and immediately he knew why he felt warm. It was a person he hadn't expected to see ever again. The same powerful arms that held him when he was a child extended out to him. He was wearing a pleasant smile on his face, the same smile he donned on whenever he had just returned from a long and tiring day of work. Jerrick stretched a hand out to him, or rather he tried to, but he still couldn't move. He was no longer breathing, but he hadn't realised it.

"Come, my son, let's go." Even though Jerrick hadn't heard him for two years, the reassuring voice was music to his deafened ears. Jerrick wanted to say something, to scream for help, but he couldn't.

No, he didn't want to. There was no need to scream. You only scream when there is pain. There was no pain. All the pain was history. Jerrick just felt tired. The only thing left for him to do was to give in to the tiredness.

The strong and comforting hands of Hagen Brandt lifted him off the ground.

Jerrick Thurmond Brandt sighed and closed his eyes.


	18. Chapter 17: A World Without You

**Chapter 17: A Life Without You**

The people could be forgiven for screaming, she guessed. It wasn't every day where dragons flew into the village. In fact, the only other time it had happened was about a week ago, when they had carried a very still boy with them. He was so still that for a moment she wondered whether there was any flicker of life left in him. But then she felt the faintest of pulses in his wrist, and immediately she cast away all other thoughts and set to work. The people with the boy were worried, sad, some completely distraught with grief. But she wasn't. Mourning wasn't in her job scope. Her job was to heal, was to save, and if everything failed, then it was to grief, but so long as there was a chance, no matter how small, she would take it. She set to work immediately, and had worked tirelessly through the night until she could do no more. It was only at that point when Tyrasson Solveig, the resident healer of the tribe of Breca, finally went out to break the news.

The foreign dragon riders had said they would return, and return they did, on this very day, hence the screaming. Tyrasson chuckled a little. Having previously been from a tribe that had its fair share of dragon attacks, she often found it amusing whenever the people of Breca screamed when a dragon came close.

She opened the door to the healing room quietly, partially out of habit and partially out of respect. The moment she entered the room though, a loud crash burst in her ears. She glowered at the boy sitting on the bed, left arm in a sling and giving her a sheepish grin. He still had a boyish face, but she had no doubts that as he grew older his face would change from being cute to handsome. Blonde hair with a stray strand hanging in front of his face and shining jet black irises, together with a well-defined jawline and a sharp nose. It was a face that many girls would fawn over.

"Sorry," Jerrick said sheepishly.

"What were you trying to do?"

"Lift up a cup with my left hand."

"Why on earth would you try that?"

"I thought it was strong enough."

"You've only been here for a week."

"I've _already _been here for a week."

"No, _only_. Your shoulder is completely damaged. You won't be able to use it for a few months. I'm surprised it didn't hurt trying to lift up the cup." Jerrick winced a little, remembering how much he had to restrain himself from yelling in pain. He sucked in air between his teeth and gave another sheepish look.

Tyrasson scowled even more. "It did, didn't it?" It was more of a statement than a question. Jerrick nodded meekly. "How many times do I need to tell you you need to rest?"

"I just feel so useless sitting here doing nothing." A hint of frustration crept into Jerrick's voice.

Tyrasson sighed. "Look, Jerrick. I know how you feel. Many people feel the same way when they're here. But you've got to realise that resting is important. If you don't rest, you might be injured permanently. I'm sure I don't need to remind you of how bad your injury is, right?"

"Yeah," Jerrick said sourly.

Tyrasson ruffled his hair, much to Jerrick's annoyance. "Just give it a few months, alright? You'll be as good as new." Just as she was about to leave the room, Tyrasson turned around. "By the way, you have a few special visitors today."

Jerrick perked up. "Who?"

"You'll see. I bet they're outside right now."

"Let them in then."

Tyrasson left the room, shutting the door behind her. Jerrick didn't have to wait long before the door opened again and his special visitors came in.

But Jerrick straightened up immediately when he saw who it was.

It was the dragon riders. Actually, dragon _rider_. Hiccup was the only one who came in, a concerned look on his face, arm still in a sling. Sure, they had worked together for the last fight, but they hadn't really spoken to each other. It was more of a temporary alliance, and then they would go back to never seeing each other.

Or so Jerrick thought. He could think of a million reasons why Hiccup was back here. The most likely reason was to bring him back to Berk and try him. But he didn't have jurisdiction outside his own tribe, did he? Then again, this was an archipelago of Vikings, and Vikings aren't known to be the most lawful people around.

Jerrick remained stoic as Hiccup stood over his bed. Hiccup suddenly flashed a grin. "Sling buddies," he said, raising his sling.

Jerrick remained silent for a moment, dumbfounded. The first thing Hiccup says to him is _that?_ Jerrick suddenly burst into chuckles. The tension had been too much for him.

"Sling buddies," Jerrick agreed. Hiccup smiled and took a seat beside his bed.

"How are you feeling?" Hiccup asked.

"I'm fine," Jerrick lied.

"Does it hurt?"

"Not at all."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

Hiccup sighed. "Look, Jerrick, I know you don't want to admit that it's pain, and I get that, I do it too. But I really want to know. I'll send the healer from Berk down here if it's too painful."

"Thanks, but it's really doing fine."

"If you say so," Hiccup said. From his tone, Jerrick knew Hiccup didn't believe a word he said.

There was an awkward silence. The air hung thick. Jerrick knew exactly why, but he didn't want to address it yet. He glanced at Hiccup out of the corner of his eye. The auburn man didn't seem to notice the silence. It just made Jerrick even more annoyed with himself. Why can't he man up and just admit his own wrongs?

"Look, Hiccup," he began, but stopped. Jerrick drew in a deep breath. He hadn't rehearsed this before. "I'm sorry for… for all… look, I didn't know that you weren't the one, I thought… I was wrong-"

A gentle hand on his shoulder startled Jerrick. He looked up. Kind emerald eyes gazed back at him. In just one look, Hiccup looked like he understood everything Jerrick was saying, everything he was going through, and even forgiving him for it.

"It's okay Jerrick, I understand," Hiccup said. He flashed a kind smile, and in that moment Jerrick felt like everything that he'd ever done to the young man was forgiven and forgotten.

"I'm sorry, Hiccup," Jerrick said again. Jerrick knew he should say something more, make it more sincere, but at the moment he just couldn't find any words. How do you apologise to someone who you tried to kill?

"It's okay," Hiccup said again. "I understand. I can't imagine how you feel, trying to avenge your father. But I understand why you did everything you did."

The two of them sat in silence for a while. Finally it was Jerrick that broke the silence.

"Thank you." Those two words came out as no more than a whisper. "How's your shoulder?" Jerrick asked.

"It's healing quite well. I should be able to use it normally in a few weeks. How about yours?"

"It's seen better days." The two of them chuckled.

"How bad is it?"

"Pretty bad, honestly. The arrow was just an inch over my heart. It broke inside too, and pretty much damaged my whole shoulder. Tyrasson's giving me some tonic to keep the pain down, but today's the first day I'm going without it."

"And you say it doesn't hurt," Hiccup said playfully. Jerrick let out a lighthearted laugh.

"Where did Krogan go?" Jerrick noticed Hiccup tensed slightly at that question.

"He got away," Hiccup said.

"You didn't chase him?"

"No, we didn't. We were bringing you here." Jerrick realised he must've shown some sort of reaction, because he felt Hiccup's concerned eyes gaze at him again. "What's wrong?"

"It's just that… he's the one."

"The one who… oh," Hiccup must've realised what he was talking about.

"Yeah. I was kinda hoping that you would say he's rotting in a cell somewhere or something like that. Thank you for saving me." Jerrick added quickly.

"You're welcome." Hiccup rose from his seat. "I better head off now, my dad's going to wonder where I went especially after I ran away from his lessons."

"Thanks for everything, Hiccup."

"Rest well, Jerrick. We'll keep in touch." Hiccup walked out of the room and shut the door behind him. Jerrick reached for his book on a bedside table. A sudden jolt of pain shot through his arm. Jerrick yelped in pain.

"Jerrick?" Kari asked from the door. Jerrick tried to smile, but he figured his face looked more constipated than happy. Another bolt of pain shot through his arm. Jerrick groaned.

"Are you okay?" Kari rushed over to his bedside.

"Perfectly… fine…" Jerrick said in between groans. "Just… hit an awkward angle."

"Drink this." Kari waved the flask of tonic under his nose. Jerrick grimaced when he caught the strong alcoholic scent. He waved it away.

"Just smelling that makes me feel much better," Jerrick said.

"If you say so." Kari set the tonic back on the table. "It's much easier to make you drink that when you're half conscious."

"It tastes better when I'm half conscious. All my senses feel like they've been dragged through fire when I'm half conscious. I can barely remember anything."

"Nothing at all?"

"I remember seeing you a lot."

"Nothing else?"

"Tyrasson and my guardians too-"

"You don't remember anything you said?" Kari had a wry smile on her face.

"No… is that bad?"

"Nope." Kari giggled. Jerrick stretched out his one working hand and jabbed her in the ribs. It did nothing but make Kari giggle even harder.

"What did I say?"

"Lots of things. It's gonna be a riot when the rest come and visit."

"Come on, tell me what I said."

"Well," Kari paused to sweep her luscious brown hair out of her face. "You told Corey he was fat."

"I did _not!_"

"Yeah you did. Let me quote you, 'Corey, when you want to get from one place to another quickly, do you run or do you roll?'" Kari burst out laughing.

Jerrick couldn't wipe the stunned expression off his face. "Was he angry?"

"He laughed it off with you. But it was hilarious."

"What else did I say?" Part of Jerrick dreaded what he was going to hear, but at the same time he was quite curious to find out. The remark about Corey - although mean - was quite funny, he had to admit.

"Two days ago Dustin and Helka came in wearing the same tunic, and you just kept calling them by the other person's name the whole time. 'Helka - oh I'm sorry, that's Dustin.' That's exactly what you did every time." Jerrick laughed.

"Then one of the days Corey brought some mutton stew. Every time you took a bite you said 'I'm becoming more sheepish' and laughed like it was the funniest joke in the world." Jerrick laughed even harder.

"Sounds like I was high as a dragon." Jerrick chuckled.

"Yeah, you were. We all had a good laugh too."

"Was that all I said?"

"Not really." Jerrick noticed Kari blush a little.

"What else did I say?" Jerrick started to feel slightly worried.

"You said some really nice things too." Kari hesitated for a moment. The blush in her cheeks grew redder. "You said how your dad would've been proud of everything you did last week." Jerrick stayed silent, knowing that there was more to come. Eventually, Kari continued. "You also said that your dad would've liked me."

Now it was Jerrick's turn to blush. He shifted closer to Kari as gently as possible and placed his working arm around her shoulders. "He would though. He would've loved someone with your kindness, your liveliness." Kari pressed gently against Jerrick.

"I never knew high Jerrick was so expressive and thoughtful."

"Yeah, well, me neither." Jerrick chuckled. "Did I ruin the mood straight away after saying that? I tend to do that a lot."

"You definitely did. You immediately said 'Told you I'm not gay, dad.'"

Jerrick laughed heartily. Suddenly, a thought struck him. "Did I say anything about us in front of anyone?"

"You didn't, thank goodness. So many people came to visit. I was so nervous you were going to blurt something out at some point."

"That would be bad, wouldn't it?"

"Probably," Kari shrugged. She looked up into Jerrick's chocolate brown eyes, a pleasant smile on her face. Jerrick suddenly noticed a tear roll down Kari's cheek.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, everything's fine." Kari paused to wipe the tear. "It's just that… all _this,_" Kari gestured her hands wildly, "made me realise something. I'm so glad you're okay. A world without you… I can't imagine that." Another tear leaked down Kari's cheek.

"Wouldn't be that great, I guess," Jerrick chuckled. "Same goes for me. I can't imagine what a world without you would be like."

Jerrick wiped the tear off Kari's cheek, letting his finger run over the dimple on her cheek. He felt a flutter in his heart when Kari let out a chuckle of delight. Jerrick chuckled gleefully too. What a lucky guy he was. He'd gone on a mission that was doomed to fail right from the start and somehow survived. He'd been shot at and barely survived.

But most importantly, Jerrick decided, was that he could finally call Kari Iona Tordis his girlfriend. The kind hearted, beautiful, and absolutely lovely Kari Tordis was now his girlfriend. A surge of joy filled him. Jerrick felt a tear run down his cheek too.

Kari glanced up when he moved his hand to wipe the tear, and Jerrick noticed her steal a glance at his lips. Jerrick blinked a few times and gave her the sweetest smile he could manage. Kari giggled. Jerrick leaned down, bringing his face closer to Kari's. His heart began to beat faster. His breath hitched. Kari's lips twitched slightly. Jerrick closed his eyes, and closed the final gap between the teenage couple, pressing his lips against hers. The fluttering in his heart and the electricity in his nerves was exactly the same as before. His mind flew away, lost to the rush of excitement, brought to a place only true happiness could reach. Kari's hand wrapped behind his head, pulling him even closer to her. Jerrick ran his hand through her long brown hair. Everything in his life was surrendered to the dizzying bliss that complete joy brought. They finally pulled apart, breathless but still grinning from ear to ear.

"You two are so cute."

Jerrick whirled to face the door. Corey, Dustin and Helka were there, smiling and grinning knowingly like idiots. Jerrick shared a glance with Kari. A hot flush crept into his cheeks.

"What are you talking about?" Jerrick said dumbly.

"You can't be _that_ stupid, Thurmond," Corey teased. "When did this all start?" The annoying smirk stayed firmly on his face.

"When did _what_ start?"

"Now he's denying it," Corey laughed. "Come on, just tell us."

Jerrick glanced at Kari, knowing full well what each other was trying to say.

"We're not a thing," Jerrick said.

"We never said that, but since you admit it…" Corey said again.

"I never admitted it."

"Come on, stop denying it. Just tell us," Dustin egged.

"I never-"

"Oh, who cares," Kari suddenly said. Jerrick was about to ask her what she was doing, but she suddenly pressed her lips against his. Jerrick gasped. Kari eventually broke the kiss, leaving one blonde teenage boy confused and dumbfounded.

"Yeah, we're together," Kari said. "It's been about two weeks now."

Jerrick gazed at her blankly, as though asking '_What was all that about_?' Kari read his mind. "I don't see why we should keep hiding it. We're going to tell them at some point anyway."

Jerrick gave it some thought. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Congrats you two." Corey said.

The room broke out in excited chatter. Jerrick purposely called Corey sheepish again when he passed another bowl of sheep stew to him. Everyone laughed when Corey pouted.

"Babe," Kari said when the others weren't listening.

"Babe?" Jerrick asked.

"I thought it would catch on." Kari shrugged.

"I like it."

"You know what you said about your dad and me?" Kari asked. Jerrick nodded. "Well," Kari continued. "I know my dad would say the same about you. He's always liked having you around."

Jerrick felt his heart warm. He reached over to Kari and hugged her with his free hand. Kari snuggled against him.

Jerrick smiled. Everything was going fine. Sure, he might not have taken revenge. In fact, his father's killer even shot him and ran away.

But one thing was certain, Jerrick thought as he stole another look at Kari, he certainly gained a lot more than he ever thought he would've.

**THE END**

* * *

**A/N:** That's that. Jerrick is alive, you're all welcome. Thanks to everyone for reading! Would you be interested in a short sequel? It probably wouldn't be too long, just a few chapters. I hope you have enjoyed this story!


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